


The Con #6.  Parts 1-3/3.

by punky_96



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 04:01:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 27,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14393844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punky_96/pseuds/punky_96
Summary: Re-post from LJ.A tough break up leads to a happy ending just not the ending either of them could have predicted.Summary: magic 8 ball, the sea, ice cream, public place, nail varnish, camera





	1. Chapter 1

_**The Con #6—part 1/3** _

 

**1\. The Thaw**

“I don’t even know you.” The words hit like being shoved into an ice-cold pond without warning and Callie’s blood felt as though it froze inside her veins as she stood rooted to the spot unbelieving and unable to do anything but gasp and try to fill her lungs with air once again. Reality upended, time bent, and it felt as though her heart was on the last space shuttle to the moon or something because that was… What was that? And then like the person shoved into the icy waters who surfaced suddenly and railed at the world around them looking for the fiend who did this and still disbelieving that it actually happened… Yes, like that, Callie looked around frantically in disbelief that Erica walked away, that someone pushed her away and she went, she’s gone, like in her car and headed out west gone. Well. She’s already in the west, but leaving still, as in gone. Perhaps for good. Callie like any victim of a pond push looked around for the culprit. She was the only one standing there. The only one near enough to know what transpired. The only one who could have pushed Erica away. Or pushed Erica into the icy pond.

Another wave of shock knocked the wind out of Callie. Did Callie get pushed into the icy pool? Was she the victim here? Or was Erica pushed? Was Erica the victim? And if they were the only two playing, then was Callie the one who had done the deed?

Callie heaved as the realizations began to hit her. She gathered around herself in the dark chill of the hospital entrance. She bent at the waist as if an alien was trying to come out of her stomach and if you had asked her she may have given that as her official scientific diagnosis. Unless the alien was in her brain, but it sure felt like the problem was in her stomach and lungs so she held herself together as the realizations circled the wagons around her and began a steady fire of truth to her head and heart.

***

Callie was not a quitter. She conquered her fears and she had become good at **this**. She was confused because she was good at **that** too, but she was good at **this** and she had chosen **this**. **This** was with Erica and **that** was with Mark. She was not a quitter. She did not fail. She stumbled, but failure was not an option because she wanted to be good at **this**. It was not an option because she had just started to become good at **this** , or maybe good was just around the corner, but it was there. It was so close. And then Izzie **McHomewrecker** Stevens was back in the saddle and Callie felt her life had become a bucking bull spinning and contorting for all it was worth and she wasn’t going to make the 8 seconds. She was being crushed by the very large pieces that her life had broken into the night that Erica said she didn’t know her, the night Erica thought she was defending Izzie Stevens and the chief and SGH.

Maybe that wasn’t exactly it. Izzie had just sheared off a piece of her being—an Erica shaped piece—and then sent the piece flying out into the distance, only it had boomeranged back at her and stabbed into her like an icicle to the heart. It had been days since Cristina had asked her what had happened and where was Hahn. Days of silence, and days filled in with Cristina telling her to fix it. Like Callie could even begin to fix it, when she was the one that had pushed Erica into that freezing cold pool of ice water and then watched her walk away in shock over what she had done. It killed her, but she let the silence overwhelm her and numb her—it was the only thing that could drive away the sounds of the Seattle Grace gossip wheel as the cry was heard far and wide, “McH took a ride with the flying monkeys.”

The chief was silent. The board was silent. The empty side of the bed was silent. Cardiology limped along. Callie weakly checked her phone and shook it. Mark Sloan observed a silence on sex in Callie’s honor. Well, he tried to. Finally, Cristina snapped at her and the truth came out. Mark comforted her. The man got new legs but didn’t live to test them and push the edges of the warranty.

A rage welled up in Callie. She was not a quitter. She wanted to be good at **this**. And she knew she could be. No, more than that—she  would be good at **this** — **this** wasn’t over.

Erica had said once, “We are doing this.”

***

The line between love and hate has been dissected for centuries. But what of the line between brave and crazy? Well, centuries old as well. And stupid and romantic? The comfortable armchair of cliché where angst, crackfic, slumber party and slaughter of the heart all curl up together waiting for the rifle squad to fire or the beautiful maiden to say “I love you.” Even when she does say it sometimes the rifle squad still fires, causing a shift in the armchair of cliché, but not dislodging those eternal truths and timeless stories. Cliché or not, we all wait in breathless anticipation.

It was dark. Yes, it was stormy and night had fallen. Callie shivered on Erica Hahn’s porch. Her car parked across the end of the driveway in case the owner of the house came out of hiding for an escape attempt. Callie wanted to leave nothing to chance and tried to block every eventuality. She’d be there all night if that’s what it took. Erica’s car was in the drive. Smoke was leaking the truth of the house’s silence to the night sky: Erica was inside.

Callie was damp and cold from a long day and even longer week without Erica. She shook from rage, sadness, and fatigue. Her dreams plagued her in the daylight until she committed to this fit of madness and took up residence on Erica’s porch. Actually and literally—on Erica’s doorstep with the cold of the metal under her ass, the press of the screen door on her leg and the chill of the silence against her cheek from the unmoving door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.  
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.  
Silence.  
Knock. Knock.  
Silence.  
Counting heartbeats.  
Ten. Twenty. Twenty-five. Thirty. Thirty-five.  
Knock. Knock. Knock.  
Silence.  
Ten. Thirty. Fifty. Seventy. Ninety. One ten.  
Knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknocknockknockknockknockknock…  
Knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock…

“Erica! I know you’re in there. You damn well know I’m out here. You didn’t even finish the conversation. You didn’t let me stutter and ramble and figure it out. You walked away. I’m an idiot. I’m a complete and total idiot. And. I’m. Blind. I’m blind. I didn’t see leaves. And I didn’t know I needed glasses. And colossally screwed this up. Beyond belief. I know. I’m—

“Fuck it. Erica. I pushed you away. I didn’t know. I didn’t GET it. I didn’t.

“But since when do you fucking walk away?

“Scurry with your tail between your legs like a fucking intern?

“How long are you gonna hide, Hahn?

“I’m not the big bad wolf, you know. But I will huff and puff and blow your house down. You’re going to finish this conversation! Maybe, maybe it’s for nothing. Maybe you can’t forgive me or understand me. Maybe you just think I’m an idiot. Maybe I am. Because you… Are my sunshine? No. Okay. That’s beyond lame. That’s beyond me pounding on your door on a dark and stormy night. But you’re…”

Callie sighed as a shiver of cold shook her. She ran her hands through her hair as she paused mid-psycho stalker rant to blink her eyes and shake her head. In the silence, she looked around at the miserable scene she thought would be cut from any movie, and yet here she was starring in it, living it. A cold wind blew across the porch suffocating Callie with the smell of the fireplace and the knowledge that she was forever shut out from that cozy place next to Erica watching the embers dance in the dim light and warmth of a snuggle. Tears formed in her eyes and slowly made cold wet trails on her skin as the breeze kept reminding her of where she was.

Openly weeping, Callie hung her head resting her face on the door in an awkward position. Half-hearted knocks continued as she sat and whimpered more of her monologue to the darkness. “You’re everything. Erica. You’re my friend. You’re my person. You’re the person who makes me better. You’re the person who understood me the most and challenged me to grow. You’re the person that I tried so hard to keep up with that I got lost on the track and turned around somehow and only needed you to get me back going right again.”

Callie stopped to wipe her nose with the back of her hand. Her fingers were numb from banging on the harsh metal of the door.

“I dance with you, play darts with you, make fun of residents and interns with you. When I lose a patient, I want to talk to you. When you lose a patient, I want to hold you in my arms. I like shopping with you because you hate it but go along for me. I like food shopping with you, because I hate it and only do it for you.” Callie smiled weakly to herself and thought of the good things, the ones that were worth prostrating herself on the doorstep to get back.

“I love that you only smile for me. I love that we can find each other anywhere in the hospital. I love that I don’t have to say what kind of day I had. I love that you can hug me with your eyes when you can’t get close enough to me. And I love that when you do get close to me, you say the right thing.

“Don’t leave this unfinished, Erica. It may not have a happy ending. But don’t leave this unfinished.”

Callie turned her back to the door to sit a little more comfortably. She hugged herself and leaned forward over her arms bunching herself up. She absently hit her head against the screen door bouncing it off her body. It didn’t even squeak on this dark stormy cliché of a night. So infuriatingly Dr. Erica Hahn with her rigid, things have to be just so, and of course her door wouldn’t squeak—She’s Erica fucking Hahn.

***

Callie swallowed hard and left her perch letting the screen door slam shut. The sound was deafening on the lonely porch of desolation. She rested on the wooden swing bench that Erica had facing the street. Countless times they had sat there looking at the hanging plants and the neighbors—they made up stories about passersby and strange cars or the crazy children running down the street and odd dogs that turned up every now and then. Callie pulled a portable stereo into her lap and turned it on with a big sigh. She set it to song 6, hit ‘play’ and ‘repeat’. Callie set it on the ground out of reach of the swing and the raindrops.

Loud. A statement that could end in being arrested for stalking and trespassing needed volume. Movie names and scenes echoed in Callie’s head. “Pump Up the Volume” was one. The idea was to `go out in a blaze of glory.’ Then there was the movie `Say Anything’ and Callie was going to sing her way back to the girl. She decided that if she was going to be crazy and make a point—she wasn’t going to do it half-assed.

The first time she sat and listened to the song.

The second time she sang loud and defiantly jumped to the rhythm.

The third time she played air xylophone.

By the fourth time repeating she was cried out and fell silent. By the end of the song, she kneeled inside the screen door and pawed silently at the door as she wept for all that was broken inside her, all that wasn’t realized in time, all that was not going to get to be said because now that Callie called her on it—Erica was a coward who wouldn’t even finish the conversation and put her out of her misery once and for all. The song ended and Callie had run out of rage and tears. She choked on a final sob and began to gather herself in order to rise and…

The door opened and red-rimmed puffy blue eyes looked down on the mess that was Callie Torres—this woman who begged her to finish the fight and not run from the battlefield.

“You called me an intern.” She said as she stepped around Callie and kneeled in front of her in her own doorway. “Get up. I don’t believe you.” She was angry, but she was there. She was demanding attention and scolding her. Erica cared enough to scold her. A small ember, that was almost out, flared again inside Callie and she caught teary puffy eyes with her own. A sudden wail ripped out of her chest as fresh tears erupted at the sight of Erica for the first time in a week. On the porch in the storm Erica’s strong arms encircled her and her lips shushed against her ear.

“Go shower.” Erica eventually ordered her. “You’ve probably caught your death and we’ll make up just so I can tend your death bed and plan your funeral.”

A sad laugh tried to claim Callie as she stepped into Erica’s house. “You’ve already planned my funeral. I just wanted to help make sure there’d be a speedy end.”

“Oh, Callie. We have to figure this out or we will both be in early graves for sure.” Erica’s hand didn’t leave Callie’s lower back as she guided her down the hall to the master bath. Her hand only left her, in fact, to run the water and to grab a towel. Then she undressed Callie and herself before pulling her into the shower.

The thaw began for both of them.

***

**2\. Conditions**

“You got her to come back?” Cristina drooled next to Callie on the runway outside the chief’s office. “I can’t believe it. I told you to fix it, but you did. What did you do?”  
“Cristina. Please.” Callie sighed and looked at her. She could see how her exuberance would have gotten annoying to Erica after too much of it, especially given her rivalry with Burke, and Cristina’s former involvement with him. Yes. It made a lot of things make sense actually. Erica was not gentle with people in the first place. She felt the areas of both cardiothoracics and surgical management were war grounds where women were still kept out of the good old boys’ club. This was the notion that fueled her to incredible personal and professional standards. The same notion was behind her fierce demands on others for perfection—especially young cardio interested female surgeons like Cristina. Take all that together with the fact that Cristina had a relationship, a potentially ‘sleep your way to the top relationship’ and Cristina was doomed. Her never-ending eagerness for cardio grated on everyone’s nerves and Erica was not the kind to mutter about it quietly. No, she was Erica fucking Hahn and she would mold this young one into quiet muted cardiothoracic perfection, even if she had to break her to make her better.

Callie snorted at this epic story, she had created for her lover and her not-friend friend.

“Did. Did you just daydream and then snort?”

Callie snorted again. It was all a little absurd. SGH was crawling with crazy and then the fight with Erica, followed by the horribly cliché rant/serenade (that worked, score), and then this—Erica back and on her own terms. Their relationship solidified this morning as they kissed and hugged by their bench in front of everyone right at the busy beginning of shift time—that way there was no going back, no running away, no do-overs, nothing except them—and maybe a date and tell sheet in the chief’s office. But that would wait Callie knew. That would wait because Richard Webber had been wringing his hands with his head of cardiothoracics on temporary leave. His hands were tied. He couldn’t replace Erica, until she gave the word that she was gone. And he couldn’t imagine what kind of groveling he would have to do to get her to come back, so he was stuck. Until this morning when a fresh and happy looking hand holding vision appeared in his doorway to begin the day. He never thought he would think it, but Chief Webber thought Erica Hahn was a sight for sore eyes.

Cristina wanted to interrogate Callie, but before she could draw her attention, the door to the chief’s office opened. Erica stepped out but the Chief had continued talking to her in jovial tones. Callie focused her attention on Erica and Cristina stepped back to survey the scene. She was a third wheel, but she wanted to know the results. It was unlike Erica was to change her mind about her professional qualms with Webber, Stevens, or anything anywhere near the Duquette incident. The Chief had previously expressed no interest in budging from his assessment of the situation and the punishment from the time. So, Cristina waited with breath that was as baited as Callie’s to see the results of this encounter.

“How did it go?” Callie asked as she stepped toward Erica and put her hand on her arm lovingly. Erica smiled broadly at Callie and entwined their fingers together walking down the runway with Cristina in tow.

“He accepted my conditions. And seemed to realize that he would be stupid to not make some concessions to keep me here. We set a time line for re-evaluation for both of us with the option of renewing the terms of our agreements. The head of cardiothoracic will have a greater research emphasis, will only work with 5th year residents and attendings, and will have a more supervisory role in the department with regard to the cardiothoracic attendings.”

“Why were those your conditions?” Cristina could not help herself but jump in from behind the two. Erica stopped and turned to glare at Cristina, but a look from Callie cooled her down. “Uh. Sorry, Dr. Hahn. I just. I wanted to know what made those conditions workable for you to come back. I was. I was very concerned that you weren’t.” Cristina closed her eyes a moment. “Coming back. That is.” She muttered out looking intently at her shoes.

Erica smirked at Callie and Cristina but did not launch any crushing comments at Cristina. Callie inwardly sighed. It would have been her question too, and not having to ask it made Cristina a saint in her opinion. Erica not lashing out as they stood face to face was beyond priceless.

Erica decided to answer. It was a valid question after all. “I can’t undo the past and his HR nightmare was not within my control. I don’t like it, but I can’t touch it.” Erica seemed to pause on this issue as if it was a reminder of a bad taste in her mouth. “I can focus on the positives of the program here by re-defining my current job responsibilities. I can also ensure that I will not work with Stevens or any other half-wits by only working with 5th years and above who have already proven themselves and chosen cardio. My teaching will continue to improve, but it will be within the realm of cardiothoracic.”

“Honors teacher instead of basic.” Cristina said with a reverential bob of her head.

“What?”

“You’ll teach like he wants you to, but only the honors kids—the residents already specializing in cardio and the other cardio attendings. Like teaching Calculus instead of Pre-Algebra. It’s still teaching. It’s still math, but it’s better.”

“Yeah. Yang. You’re right. That’s a good way to see it.”

“And next year you can be in her class.” Callie couldn’t resist teasing them both. Cristina because she would be devastated all over again that Erica wouldn’t be letting her into her OR, but also teasing Erica because she would have to teach her at some point.

Erica bit her bottom lip and tried not to laugh at Callie. She always knew she was in trouble with this one but seeing daily evidence of it brought out her wicked sense of humor too. It helped that she knew it was also torturing Cristina. Cristina huffed. “Well, at least I have hope before me. Izzie won’t ever get to decannulate a heart. Hell, she may never even see a heart again.”

All three of them laughed now and Erica pulled Callie forward toward the stairs and entrance of the hospital. “Good day, Yang.” Erica said when they reached the stairs so that she could say goodbye to Callie on her own. Cristina shuffled off happy to have the information that she wanted and knowing that Callie would be back in a few minutes and she could quiz her. She headed in the direction of the coffee cart and then the surgical board knowing Callie would gravitate her way in time.

In the front lobby Callie kissed Erica on the cheek when she hugged her goodbye. “Can I see you tonight?”

“I will expect you after your shift.” Erica said smiling into Callie’s eyes.

“I’ll call you if I can take an early mark.” Callie kissed her on the lips this time and then watched as Erica strode out to her car. Only this time Callie knew there was hope in their future together and she didn’t feel like either of them had been pushed into the icy pond.

***

**3\. Magic 8**

“Is Yang on call tonight?”

“Yes. So, no worries about awkward run-ins with the fan girl.”

“She’s hardly a fan of mine.”

“Oh. No, no, no. You should have seen her when she thought that you were gone. She told me to fix it. She blamed me for you leaving. She thought I was stupid to fight with you.”

“What?”

“Yeah. She was on about how she and Meredith fight and still work together. Finally, she cornered me in front of Mark about why this ‘friend’ fight was such a big deal. So, I told her we were not ‘friends’ and that’s why it was a big deal. She blamed me even more and told me to fix it.”

“So that was how you decided to torture yourself on my front porch for three hours?”

“Yes. I had to fix it. For me, for you, for Cristina, for Seattle Grace.”

“Save the world by saving yourself, huh?”

“Well, you benefited too, I think.” Callie suggestively raised her eyebrows at Erica.

Stepping to Callie and encircling her arms around her Erica replied. “Indeed, I did.” She claimed her lips with a kiss that grew into more in an instant. Hands roamed and heat passed between them as they relaxed into each other and enjoyed their time together now that they had worked past their storm. Without actually saying it, they had both agreed to have a sense of humor about the situation as much as possible in order to work through the hard feelings that had been created by their mutual miss-steps. Callie realized that she had mistreated her best friend and lover through her panicked actions. Erica realized that she had inadvertently left Callie behind in confusion as her own clarity clicked into place.

When air became an issue, they broke apart and moved to the kitchen for dinner. They had all evening to enjoy each other, so they might as well enjoy some dinner. Later after they cleared the dishes and set up in the living room, Erica excused herself from the bathroom. Returning she found Callie standing by the bookshelf holding a black magic 8 ball and cracking herself up. Erica slipped up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist as she nuzzled her neck and breathed in her scent. “What are you doing?”

“Besides cracking myself up?”

Erica laughed and pushed Callie’s hair off her neck before placing light kisses on it. “Yeah.” Erica smiled against Callie’s skin when she shivered in her arms.

“I’m finding out about the future.” Callie said in a sing song.

Erica contemplated that for a moment. “The far away future or the near future?”

Creating a new game in her head now that Erica joined her, Callie sing-songed. “Well, it depends on what you ask it… You know. If I ask it, ‘Did I find my true love?’ Then it will be about now and the future.” Callie turned her head to Erica but didn’t turn around in her arms. Erica captured her mouth in another kiss.

“So, what did it tell you?”

Callie smiled at her and shook the magic 8 ball and looked up as the thought her question. Then after a pause Callie turned the magic 8 ball over to reveal the answer. The heat of Erica’s body caused a slow ache in her body, igniting a desire that always was under her skin when Erica was near her. Leaning over Callie’s shoulder to see the answer Erica pressed tightly against her.

The magic 8 ball said, “Concentrate and ask again.”

“At least it wasn’t ‘no’.” Erica said laughing. “We just need to concentrate.” Callie held the magic 8 ball in one hand to her side and she turned in Erica’s arms. Her free hand came up to cradle Erica’s cheek before she pulled her into a searing kiss that poured gasoline on the mutual fires of their desire. The slow ache that began in Callie when Erica brushed up against her quickly became a full body craving that she would have trouble fighting—if she even wanted to fight it. And she didn’t. They broke for air and then began brushing light kisses everywhere: cheeks, jawlines, earlobes, necks, collarbones. Erica’s hands slipped under Callie’s loose shirt and Callie eventually tangled her hand in Erica’s hair. After another breath defying lip-lock, Callie firmly grasped the back of Erica’s hair and pulled her back. Panting from desire Callie stared into Erica’s eyes.

Her eyes never wavered as they focused on her and telegraphed images of their future together. In a husky whisper, Callie commanded. “Focus.”

Erica continued to gaze at Callie as she stepped back a half step, closed her eyes, and mentally asked the 8 ball her question again. Erica’s hands squeezed on Callie’s hips and Callie shook the 8 ball before she paused and turned it over.

“Signs point to yes.” The magic 8 ball told them optimistically.

“I was hoping for ‘yes, definitely’.” Erica said in a throaty whisper. “Can we ask something more specific.” Erica kissed below Callie’s ear. “For tonight?” She whispered sucking on Callie’s earlobe.

“Hmmm. I like that idea.” Erica continued to lick, suck and kiss Callie’s neck and jawline. “Maybe you should ask a question then.”

“Does Callie want it slow and teasing tonight?”

Callie looked slyly at Erica before the 8-ball answered. “It is certain.” Erica kissed Callie again and began to pull her backwards toward her bedroom. As they passed the couch, Callie set the 8 ball on the table. Erica stopped long enough to go back and pick it up.

“I have more questions.”

In the bedroom, Erica kissed Callie until she was a whimpering mess. Then, she pulled back and looked Callie in the eyes as she asked. “Should Callie strip for me?”

“My sources say no.”

“Interesting. Maybe another time?” Erica asked a desire flushed Callie who nodded. “Well, should I undress Callie then?”

She shook the 8 ball, mentally counted to 10 and watched as Callie tried to calm her breathing and not knock the 8 ball out of her hand as she tackled her to the bed. Erica started this game though and she wanted slow and teasing, so Callie fought back her desire to rush things as the fire continued to consume her. “Yes, definitely.”

Callie already throbbed with anticipation and as Erica devoured her with her eyes Callie thought she would come without even getting naked or Erica touching her. It was amazing and overwhelming and the smirk that Erica gave her was sexy as hell. Erica knew the effect she was having on Callie and she enjoyed her power. Callie shuddered as a wave of desire coursed through her body. “Erica. Please.” Callie begged in a quiet whisper.

Erica set the 8 ball on the side table and proceeded to slowly undress Callie as she peppered her skin with open mouthed kisses. Callie helplessly whimpered her desire and held Erica with her hands as she moved her hands on her shoulders, hair, and waist as Erica undressed her and continued to stoke the fires of their mutual desire with each passing moment and teasingly slow touch.

***

**4\. Welcome Back**

Crazy spread like an epidemic in Seattle. The epicenter always was Seattle Grace. Either the craziness started there and radiated out, or the craziness began elsewhere and eventually congregated in the ER. The current bout of craziness began when a stunt pilot decided to fly under a freeway overpass and misjudged his angles. He died instantly but the people in the resulting car crashes were not all so lucky. The ER was flooded with patients and the clinic was flooded with family searching for loved ones. The phone system went down under the call volume that accompanied the tragedy. The news broadcast an alternate number that was staffed with cell phones, psych interns and walkie-talkies to relay information to the hospital.

Erica’s first day back landed her in the middle of the insanity. She shook her head at Callie as they braced themselves to enter the madness. Although Erica’s responsibilities shifted, she’s still took on cases in the ER as needed. Only now she didn’t have to suffer fools like Izzie Stevens. One shift became two and eventually Erica found Callie in the 4th floor on call room near dermatology. Not a lot was said. They both knew it was a gruesome set of hours and silently agreed to comfort each other with a nap before beginning the third shift of the week.

Several hours later, Callie woke still dressed down to her sneakers in Erica’s arms. She couldn’t be happier to be treated with the idyllic sight of Erica relaxed in her sleep. Callie shifted so that she was propped up on one elbow and as she did she jostled Erica. In her sleep Erica mumbled and then her arms reached harder for Callie to keep her close. Callie’s heart did a somersault in her chest as she soaked in the knowledge that Erica Hahn loved her so much that she reached for her in her sleep. After a few minutes observation Callie caressed Erica with slow circles on her back and feather light kisses on her face. It was time to enter the fray once again and Callie was determined to wake her lover gently.

Wednesday of her first week back and Erica felt as though she had never left. The definite addition of Callie as her official and public girlfriend was unbelievably fantastic. Erica believed Callie, but still had expected some freaking out on the first day, which had thankfully not come. All in all, it felt very natural to be together and Cristina’s schedule lined up beautifully so that they were able to alternate whose place they stayed at. The crazy kept coming as various fluke trauma situations happened and poured into the ER.

***

They had worked through Thanksgiving without missing a beat, but as Christmas neared they realized that they had been together in a real way for a month and half. They had multiple conversations about how natural it had all been once they jumped in with both feet at the same time. When they weren’t physically distracted they passed the hours in various conversations that drew them closer together. The looming holiday got them sharing stories about the holidays growing up and their favorite things to do over the years. They planned to have a sweet Christmas together despite their busy schedules.

***

“Erica?” Callie looked at the box on Erica’s couch. Erica looked at her in question. “Is this. Is this all you have? For your tree. For Christmas.”

Erica turned away from where she was standing in the entry to her kitchen and buried herself in the refrigerator. Callie was left standing in confusion in the middle of the living room in front of the Christmas tree that they had picked out together. Callie looked at the box, the tree and although she wasn’t sure what had just happened, she knew her words had started a chain reaction in her lover that was not good. Callie followed her into the kitchen where her strong and steady girlfriend was now drinking vodka in a glass. The bottle was on the counter next to the sink and Erica had her back against the counter where she leaned facing Callie.

“E? What? What did I say? I didn’t mean to upset you.” Callie stood in front of Erica and took her glass to set it on the counter then she cradled Erica’s face in her hands to ensure eye contact. The tears that filled Erica’s eye broke Callie’s heart. “Please tell me, E.” Callie murmured.

“The neighbor’s house caught on fire the Christmas I was 9. It spread to five houses on our block. Our house was the fourth house to burn. We were able to get out in plenty of time, but I remember my little brother crying and holding onto me. My father was a firefighter and he went to help. My mother was arrested after she attacked the neighbor whose house had caught fire first. I remember her shouting that it was her fault and she would always blame them. It was hours of watching the fire, the firemen, the police, and the news crews. I was able to get the attention of a lady cop and she let us sit in the back of her squad car to get away from the reporters who had already started to notice us.”

Callie didn’t know what to say so she just hugged her body close to Erica to comfort her, to tell her that she would be there for her, to chase the memory away if at all possible.

“When the fire was out my dad came back to find us and the lady cop brought him to us. He was very angry that mom had been arrested. That night he took us to stay at his parents’ house. The next day he went and picked her up at the police station. We lived with my grandparents for a year and our parents fought constantly. My brother and I slept in the same bed even though we weren’t supposed to. It just felt better to not be alone. At the end of the year, my mother left us. Eventually our house was re-built, but by then we were used to living with our grandparents and didn’t want to move. Father gave in to what we wanted, since he was doing his best as a single dad. He rented the house out and we lived with my grandparents. He saved the rent money for college for Bradley and me.

“By the time I was ready to graduate high school and Bradley was in junior high, my grandparents were suffering from different maladies of one kind or another. Grandma Alicia’s people had mysterious growths and sudden hysterectomies. For three years she suffered from various ailments surrounding her stomach only to find out that she had such advanced ovarian cancer that her tumor was the size of a grapefruit and they didn’t even know what to tell her. Joining in the medical melee, Grandpa Hugo had the first of a series of strokes that eventually killed him.

“That box.” Erica swallowed closing her eyes to block the emotions welling up within her. “After my father died, Bradley and I were alone. He went to college in Boston so he could be near me at Hopkins.” Erica smiled thinking of her brother’s strength. “That one box of decorations is what was left to me after the fire, after their deaths, and after dividing it all up with Bradley.”

“Erica. I’m so sorry. honey. That’s such a sad way for everything to happen.” Callie wiped at the handful of tears that escaped Erica’s eyes and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “Everything in that box must be very special and I want to see every single thing in there. Will you share it with me?”

Erica nodded and hugged tight to Callie.

***

They didn’t decorate at Callie’s apartment. Cristina would not have appreciated it, and it didn’t seem to make sense to decorate twice. Callie was definite that she wanted to spend the actual holiday at Erica’s house, so there was no need. Instead they spent some time with each other sharing more holiday memories including the many pictures of Callie’s large family. At first Callie was awkward talking about her family with Erica, since she knew how much loss her girlfriend had been through. That changed when Erica told her that it made her happy to hear about Callie’s family and the joy they brought her made her happy as well. After that photo album after photo album landed in Erica’s lap.

With a fresh photo album to go through on Erica’s lap, Callie excused herself to the bathroom. Erica absently flipped through the pages, by now recognizing most of the relatives by name. Just past the midpoint of this photo album were several pictures of a rather odd-looking Santa. Erica recognized Callie, her cousin Magdalena, Magdalena’s mother Rosalie, and Callie’s Great Aunt Carla Beatrice. Erica had heard many stories about this small part of Callie’s family. Although they lived in England because Rosalie had been in Europe with the military and married an Englishman, they were very close and saw each other every year. Rosalie and Natalie were very close sisters and their daughters became close cousins despite the ocean that divided them. In this series of pictures, however, there was a very scared Callie hiding from the suspicious Santa, a defiant Magdalena standing guard in front of Callie in their matching Christmas dresses, a Santa with an ice pack on his leg although he was smiling, and finally a picture of the two girls with angelic smiles on the lap of a reluctantly happy Santa.

“Explain please.” Erica laughed out as Callie sat next to her on the couch.

“He was scary.”

“And what happened? How did you get from here to here?” Erica said as she pointed at the first picture of Callie hiding to the last picture of her beaming with Magdalena on Santa’s lap.

“Well. He was Cynthia’s boyfriend at the time.” Erica looked at her confused. “Uh. Uncle Mel’s oldest daughter. I didn’t really know them.” Callie traced her finger over the series of pictures and smiled wistfully. She said it had been a few years since she had seen Magdalena. Medical school was tough and Magdalena had an 8-year-old son to take care of. So real life had gotten in the way of the cousins. “Magdalena protected me. She always did. And after she kicked him in the shin, he backed off.” Callie laughed and pointed at the picture of Santa with an ice pack. “Later they had Magdalena sit in his lap and she squealed, until I joined her. We had beaten the scary Santa and you can see it in our faces.” Callie ran her finger from her face in the photo to Magdalena’s. “He never came back now that I think of it.”

Callie looked up at Erica and was overwhelmed by the love she saw in her eyes. Erica leaned into her claiming her lips in a kiss. Callie cupped Erica’s cheek and deepened the kiss. Erica’s concentration was broken when the photo album began to slip off her lap. She broke the kiss, closed the album and placed it on the coffee table. The she turned back looking Callie in the face and declared. “I love you, so much.” And renewed their kiss.

***

**5\. Lines in the Sand**

Erica and Callie had officially been together for three months, but the entirety of their friendship had unconsciously been part of their relationship. Even in the very beginning they had a sixth sense about each other. They had bonded easily over not liking people and laughing in the elevator at Mark’s expense. When either of them had a bad day, they instinctively sought the other one out and provided comfort. They felt the joy of the other from anywhere in the hospital when a surgery had gone well or something funny happened.

At the beginning they each shrugged it off as luck, and then good friends being attuned to each other, but as they became closer and eventually realized the depth of their connection they reveled in the fact that they had always been so aware of the other. So, in the first week of February when Erica got a feeling in the pit of her stomach that told of trouble not her own, she did not question it, but immediately sought out Callie. It had been a long time since Callie had visited the basement and it took a while for Erica to find her since she had never been to the basement with or without Callie.

“What happened?” Erica asked as she sat on what looked to be an abandoned couch in a dark corner of the basement.

“Did you know I used to live down here?”

“What?”

“Yeah. I drug this couch down here and had made a fake apartment behind shelves and stuff. I had a hot plate and television. Life was so different then. I was the first to every trauma. I was the best in my class. I was focused. Before George. Before. Before anything. I was solid and strong. I could rock three surgeries back to back. I was independent and free and didn’t care about anyone.”

Erica turned her head sideways to examine Callie. She wasn’t sure what to make of her speech or where it was coming from. Erica fought off the urge to panic or lash out at Callie. She hoped that there was a lot more to say, because right now it sounded like Callie wanted to be independent—single… And Erica couldn’t imagine where that was coming from, but the idea of Callie dumping her activated a very deep sense of hurt and anger. From experience with Callie not quite making sense or expressing herself though, Erica knew to wait for more information before lashing out.

After a lingering silence Erica tried again. “Callie, what happened, baby?”

“Magdalena’s been in a horrible car crash.” Callie threw her arms around Erica sobbing into her shoulder. Reflexively Erica brought her arms around Callie and began making slow circles on her back.

“Do you need to go to her?” Erica asked gently, not sure what the right thing to say was. She knew that they were close, but it had been years. She had spent enough of her own time with losing loved ones, but trying to provide comfort to someone else, when you had not really received a lot of comfort yourself was mind boggling.

“Yes. They are making the funeral arrangements now. I’ll know more tonight, but probably will leave tomorrow.” Callie said in a hollow voice.

“Oh.” Erica gasped as the realization sank in. Magdalena had died in the accident. Callie was leaving for England tomorrow. Erica was about to say something, but it was unclear what she would have said when Callie cut her off.

“Greg died last year in Afghanistan. Her son is only 8, Erica. Aunt Carla is alone now.” Callie clutched tighter around Erica in her desperation to be close to comfort. Erica stopped the circles on her back and simply squeezed her tightly as she placed kisses on her hair.

***

A week without Callie was uneventful and heart breaking. She withdrew even more at Seattle Grace spending time in her office and joining in on surgeries whenever she could. She did not want to have down time to think about just how much she missed Callie. It upset her to dwell and the overwhelming desire she had to tell Callie everything she felt for her scared her. She was certain of her feelings, but Callie had been so skittish in the beginning, and even at three months it seemed like maybe it was still too soon to tell her everything. The feelings overwhelmed the steady strong heart surgeon that was Dr. Erica Hahn, so it only made sense that she would be worried about overwhelming Callie. By the end of the week though, Erica had determined that she had to tell Callie that she loved her at the very least.

Picking her up on Valentine’s Day, after a weeklong absence, with a gift and her heart on her sleeve seemed like the best way to tell Callie how much she loved her. So, it was not without a certain level of nervousness that she awkwardly greeted Callie. “Hey.” She looked shyly at Callie taking her bag.

“Hi.” Callie’s warmth encircled her and soft lips brushed her cheek making Erica shudder in anticipation. She hoped that Callie would be ready soon for her to tell her everything she was thinking, and not just `I love you.’

Erica returned the kiss on the cheek and smiled as she looked into Callie’s eyes. “Welcome back.” Then she placed a quick kiss on her lips and turned to open the passenger door of the car.

“I missed you so much.” Callie said once Erica got in the drivers’ side and pulled onto the road. Erica nodded in agreement to her at the stoplight and turned to give her a quick kiss before the light changed.

Erica put her hand in her pocket to feel the necklace she had spent the last couple of days picking out. She had even stooped low enough to ask Cristina Yang if she thought it was pretty enough for Callie. That had not gone well. The conversation was just as awkward as Erica had imagined it would be. Cristina had been nice to her, which made it even more uncomfortable, but Erica needed a second opinion and didn’t have one.

“Can we just have dinner at your house? I need to be close to you.” Callie sighed.

Inwardly Erica jumped for joy. Callie was back and wanted nothing more than to be with her at her house. Her stomach flip-flopped and she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. It wouldn’t do to get into a car crash now—especially not freshly reunited and with so much on the tip of her tongue to say. “Of course. I’m glad that you want to be with me. I know you’ve had an exhausting week.”

“Yeah. So much for Valentine’s Day.” Callie sighed ruefully.

“Hey. I’ve got you so it’s a wonderful Valentine’s Day.” Erica reached sideways glancing at Callie as she took her hand and entwined their fingers.

After a quiet dinner catching up on the week Callie went to take a shower. Finished with the dishes, Erica worried about Callie. She had been very mellow over dinner and this shower had taken longer than any other shower Erica had known her to take. Well, solo shower. Erica padded to her bedroom and entered to check on Callie. She was uncertain standing outside the door to her master bath, but when she heard Callie’s sobs, that vanished immediately and she stepped in.

Callie started when Erica opened the door to the shower but relaxed again as Erica embraced her. “What is it?”

Callie shook her head no and sobbed as she hugged Erica in the hot water. Erica was washed in the shower spray, salty tears, and alternating waves of confusion, panic, and wet hot desire. It had been a week since she had seen Callie and now they were naked pressed together in the hot shower, but now was not the time. No, Erica needed Callie to talk to her, to explain her tears. Maybe later they could enjoy the slip of their naked flesh against each other. Tears and talking first, then desire and reconnecting.

“Callie. You’ve got to tell me something. I know you’re tired and this has been an exhausting week but tell me. Baby.”

Silence and heart beats as the water rained down on them. Callie it seemed would not explain herself, instead hanging onto Erica like she was a life-preserver. Erica was ready to panic, but when she heard Callie’s intake of breath she knew that her lover would open up. Erica was not prepared for the floodgates that opened and Callie’s one sentence rush of air was almost more confusing than her disappearing act and tears in the shower.

“I never understood why people got married in a rush. I never understood that whole soldier going to war phenomenon. Why would you marry somebody you hardly know just because you might not come back? If you’re not coming back what’s the point? I mean you just met and haven’t talked about the future. Why would you want to make a permanent connection to them? What do you do while they are gone? What do you do while you are gone? So many things can change… What if the feelings that you thought you had weren’t what you really thought you were having? Or if they weren’t mutual? What if you change or they change? What if you don’t know each other anymore? Why would anyone want to deal with any of that?”

Callie trailed off, out of air no doubt and a silence hung over them like the steam from the hot water. Erica pulled away from Callie taking her face in her hands to stare into her deep brown eyes. The sadness that lingered there broke her heart and she inwardly vowed to do anything in her power to make that melancholy go away. Erica kissed her and filled the kiss with all the protection, love, tenderness and comfort that she could. A small groan escaped her as Callie kissed her back and relief flooded through her body. Breaking the kiss after many moments, Erica turned off the water. She offered a towel to Callie and they patted dry before heading into the bedroom.

Sitting on the side of the bed, Erica dipped her head to catch Callie’s eyes once more. “Hey. I love you. But you sure confuse the hell out of me.” Callie let out a sad short bark of laughter at that. Erica was so direct it warmed her heart all over again, although at this point it only re-ignited her earlier sadness and she looked away sadly. “So. I don’t understand and the only thing I got out of your previous explanation was that maybe you joined the army? Are you going off to war?” Erica smiled tenderly at Callie as she brought up her chin with her fingers so Callie had to make eye contact with her.

Callie seemed to be re-enforced by that tender smile and she smiled at Erica. “Kind of. I mean. I love you so much, Erica. But I. I. Well. Willie’s so young. And. I’m going to go back to take care of him. I’m going to England. But the idea of being without you is so painful that I can’t imagine it.” Callie got up and began pacing along the side of the bed in front of Erica. “So, I feel like I’m being shipped out to war and like those fools in the movies or something, I want to make some kind of grand declaration and make you mine and I don’t know. I feel so certain about doing it, but then I feel like we haven’t talked about a lot of stuff, and we haven’t really been going out that long, and I don’t want to rush, I mean, I don’t feel rushed, I feel right, but I rushed with George and we weren’t right and he was wrong and it was bad, I mean really bad. He wasn’t feeling what he thought he was feeling and I wasn’t either, and then we weren’t good with each other and…”

Erica stood up and caught the brunette in her arms effectively stopping the rant with a kiss and firm embrace. “So, you’re proposing before you head off for war? And you’re worried about it being real and mutual?” Erica smiled at her as she rubbed her cheek with her thumb. Her other hand grabbed Callie’s and she drug her backward to the chair that her clothes were piled on. She gave Callie a look that said ‘stay right there’ as if Callie would go anywhere right that moment, but just in case, and then she turned to her clothes lifting up the shirt and then the pants. She fumbled in the pants’ pocket before pulling out her gold necklace gift.

Callie’s eyes widened in shock as Erica turned to her holding up the necklace. “I was planning to tell you I love you tonight. But since we’ve already skipped over all that…” Erica blushed as she looked at Callie. “I think instead I’d like to ask if you’d like some company on your mission. I heard that 8-year-olds have cunning military minds and I would be worried about you facing the enemy alone.” Erica smiled sheepishly at her. Both of their minds whirled around in slight shock at themselves and at each other.

After a short silence Callie gasped in shock and jumped on Erica slamming her back into the chair with the pile of clothes. It was a painful mess, but Callie’s murmurs made Erica forget any pain she was feeling as Callie straddled her lap. “Yes, oh, Erica, yes. Come with me. I love you so much. I can’t be without you. I. Yes. I love you. You’ll really come with me? You love me? Oh my god. This is crazy. Are we crazy?” All the while Callie was kissing and nibbling on any part of Erica that she could get to in a crazy feeding frenzy of desire.

Erica for her part soaked it all in. `Crisis averted,’ she pondered, `but what have I just gotten myself into? England, an 8-year-old boy and marriage to Callie? How had that happened?’

Biting her lip Erica shook her head as she looked up at her lover. “Yes.” She said in a deep husky voice. Callie stopped and looked at her wild with desire. “We are crazy.” And Erica pulled Callie down for a soul-searing kiss that bonded them together more than any ceremony would. It was settled, the rest would be details.

***


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta: Jay00789 and Gin781 had a crack at, but then I messed with it
> 
> Note: Thanks to superfy_me for her ideas too. London Eye at Night makes me want to go to London!
> 
> This was so hilarious to read as it was written before I ever went to London. I would absolutely write it differently now. However, I will always love Brighton :)

**_The Con #6—part 2/?_**  
**  
6\. Double Dog Dare**  
  
What did you get when you put goodbye + camera + Callie together? Camera hijinks. That’s right. Callie wanted to say goodbye and this was a time of BIG MESSAGES in her life. Ranting with style on Erica’s front porch, sweeping Erica up into her crazy mission to England, and now saying goodbye in a way that would be remembered forever. How could she not? Callie spent just over six years here. She went from lowly resident on the bottom of the food chain to the latest and greatest Orthopedic Attending top of the food chain here. She went from ‘fresh’ to ‘kick ass’ in the blink of an eye. She went from the basement to the penthouse, well only for a little while, but still, she did stay there one night. Callie went from loner to married and then traded in her straight card for an  **All-Access-Erica-Pass-Forever**  on a one-way ticket to love—oh, yeah,  **IN**  England.  
  
So what better way to capture the moment? To bottle life and love in a bottle to take with you? Photographs. That’s right. The timeless eternal memory of film, or really that digital image that could embarrass you around the world on sites like AO3 in a matter of seconds. Literally around the world! And if nothing else, Callie wanted to make sure she had plenty of center pieces for her  **McHomewrecker Dartboard**  and  **Pin the Tail on the Intern Game**  she planned on marketing in the near future. In every artistic pursuit there was an element of danger and treachery—so this photo project would not be complete without its darkside or its dorkside for that matter.  
  
“Erica will kill me for letting you guys be a part of this, but I’ve been here for almost six years and you have all been a part of my time here. Some of it for the better (smiles at Bailey) and some of it, well, not so much (she glares at Izzie and George). But you can help me capture the important places of the hospital and catch glimpses of the people that I’ll miss. And Erica too, only she doesn’t know it yet. So, will you help?”  
  
They all nodded and Callie passed out the disposable cameras as they dispersed. Last of all was Mark and he had a smug little grin on his face. “What? Mark. What could you possibly have to be smug about? It’s for a scrapbook.”  
  
“Oh, I was just thinking of happy images of the two of you. Some real and some imagined that I’d like to make sure are in your scrapbook—or mine.” Mark cupped his chin with his fingertips as they stroked his beard dreaming.  
  
The  **Slutty-Boy-Wonder**  was not finished however, “You know that day you put your head on Erica’s shoulder in the lunch room and taunted me about a threesome…” Callie gasped. “Or maybe we could re-create that threesome talk in the elevator and she can kiss you in front of me again.” Callie slapped Mark on the arm. “Maybe you could re-create that kiss moment out in front of the hospital. That was hot. You think she’d be up for it?”  
  
“Mark.” Callie started to scold him, but the images in her head drew her to them like a moth to the flame. Leave it to Mark to inspire her to get in trouble.  
  
***  
  
At the end of shift Callie and Mark met at the nurses’ station nearest to the elevator. As Erica walked up to them they turned and Callie relayed his invitation to go to Joe’s to Erica. They walked toward the elevator and stood waiting for it to take them to the lobby and freedom. Callie swung back and forth on the spot and grinned like an idiot. Mark tried to hide his new leaf and not laugh at her. Erica did not notice as she stood stuck in thought. The elevator descended and Mark cleared his throat. “I heard that you could not pass up a dare, Dr. Hahn.” Callie’s eyes went big and she sucked in a breath of air.  
  
Erica looked at Mark with narrowed eyes. She arched her eyebrow and tilted her head. “Oh really, Sloan?”  
  
“Yeah. Callie dared you to go to England with her and you accepted.”  
  
“I did, indeed.”  
  
“So. I dare you to kiss her in the elevator in front of me again.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You said I couldn’t handle it. I think I’ve done rather well, actually.” Mark managed to sniff a little as if he was wounded by her words from so long ago.  
  
“No way, Sloan.”  
  
Mark laughed, but he knew the elevator was almost at the lobby now. He turned to Callie. “I told you she was a chicken. You owe me fifty bucks.”  
  
“Mark.” Callie whined.  
  
Erica looked from one to the other unsure of whether she would be played by cooperating with his request or refusing it. Callie searched her purse for the money to pay him. Erica stepped to her and cupped her face in her hands like she did so long ago when this adventure first began. “I said ‘you couldn’t handle the two of us’.” Erica said huskily her eyes fixed on Sloan before turning to Callie. This time Callie was surprised, but still ready for it and she kissed back immediately.  
  
The kiss only lasted a few seconds because to the side of them was the click of a camera and Mark’s mirthful laughter. As Erica turned on him with murder in her eyes he knew he was an incredibly lucky man because the door opened to the lobby. He ran out, Callie held Erica back and Erica shook her head. She was played either way apparently. However, Callie was pleased that she had a picture recreating their first kiss even though it was once again based on a dare.  
  
***  
  
“Why is Sloan so happy about this? I get it that Bambi is interested but isn’t this.” Cristina waved her fork around in the air thinking of just the right phrase. “Too girly for Sloan?”  
  
“Well. You know. He, uh, is hoping to create memories.” Callie said raising her eyebrow suggestively to Cristina.  
  
“Oh.” Cristina said and then repeated as comprehension drew across her face. “Oh. Eeewww. He’s such a manwhore. Seriously?”  
  
“He’s a good guy, too, though. You have to admit it. He was so supportive when I freaked out when Erica left.”  
  
Cristina grumbled. “He wouldn’t have had to be supportive, if you weren’t an idiot.” Then she looked up at Callie who was staring her down. “What?” She said defensively. “She left because of his earlier ‘support,’ right?” She said making air quotes around ‘support.’ Callie almost gagged on her cherry tomato.  
  
“Yeah.” Callie finally murmured begrudgingly.  
  
“So. What’s his favorite ‘memory?’” Again, with Cristina and the air quotes.  
  
Callie almost choked. Absently she thought that maybe it’s good she worked at a hospital, no one would let her choke to death in the lunch area. Scratch that. Maybe McHomewrecker would… Now there were some memories that Callie would like to create.  
  
“He wants memories that aren’t real. He says that the photos will show more realism if they are taken while they happen. And of course, they involve an on-call room, surgical tape and the bunk bed frame.”  
  
“Oooh. You did not just say that. Surgical tape?” Cristina held her throat and took little fake air bites to calm herself. “I think I just vomited a little. Please tell me something else.”  
  
“Oh. I was thinking I’d like to re-create the memory where Izzie thought I was going to kick her ass in the cafeteria instead of talk to her.”  
  
Cristina snorted a little and put her soda down. “I’ll bet you want to re-create that one.” She rolled her eyes clearly amused. “Only I’d bet you would add a new memory where you actually kicked her ass instead of everyone else thinking you were going to!” Cristina dissolved into a fit of giggles.  
  
“That’d be something.” Callie said dreamily. Torres-10. McHomewrecker-0.  
  
“Oh. Maybe we could pour water on her the next time she says something lame during rounds. I’m sure her interns would love to do the camera work, and the dirty work for us!?”  
  
“Oooh. That’s genius. We can photoshop `you coded’ next to her in the picture!”  
  
“I like how you think. Too bad you’re ortho. You could’ve been my girl crush all along. Hahn’s bad ass, but I like your style.”  
  
“Oh. Honey. It would never work. You and I are like Kit and Denbo.” Callie said laughing and punching her fists to each other. “Erica and I are like a good version of Bette and Tina.”  
  
Cristina let her mouth fall open and her eyes roll around in shock. “Did you, um, get on the Ph.D. fast track for Gay, or what, Miss Thing?” Cristina said doing some kind of little dance in her seat with her head circling her neck and her bottom lip thrust out.  
  
Callie covered her mouth and let the tears form in her eyes. She would truly miss this. And with that she brought up her camera and caught Cristina in full lip thrust mode. She laughed so hard that she almost fell out of her chair, which she was sure would be caught on film, because almost everyone in the hospital had a camera by now. And she thought to herself that it was mostly her fault for handing out so damn many. Developing them plus the CD would cost a fortune, but she didn’t care. She was having fun and going out doing it.  
  
Callie gave Cristina a definite nod. “I’ll always be the top of my class.” She fought her giggles. “And I.” Callie stopped and looked mischievously at Cristina as she changed topics. “You can have my flash cards for this course.” To which Cristina responded by spraying the entire table and the remnants of their lunches with soda.  
  
“Oh. No. You. Didn’t.” Only ‘n’t’ was definitely its own swallowed syllable. “Seriously. Did you watch all 5 seasons of the L Word already? You didn’t even know you were gay like 6 months ago?”  
  
“You said it yourself ‘fast track to the Ph. D. in Gay.’”  
  
“Yes. Well.” Cristina said breathing in slowly still trying to recover. “You should watch them again. And don’t compare your relationship to anything in that show.”  
  
“I know, right? Relationships on tv are so messed up. Look at that one on the doctor show that they totally destroyed!”  
  
“I was so pissed that I haven’t even watched that channel since then.”  
  
Callie made a ‘poor boo-boo’ kind of sound at Cristina. “How sad. And that was your favorite show.” She fake pet Cristina to console her.  
  
“That’s the last time I get invested in a relationship on a show. I like, had started to care about what happened to them. They were doctors, real people, just like us, but in that show.”  
  
“Only that hospital? What was it St. Lucifer’s’? That was a fucked up hospital to work at. Seriously. It was worse than here.”  
  
“Hey. I still work here, you know.”  
  
“Oh. Right. Sorry.”  
  
“You are not.”  
  
“Yeah.” Callie sighed and smiled sadly at Cristina.  
  
***  
  
“Incoming.”  
  
“Pardon?”  
  
“George and Izzie are heading your way. Lighting speed.”  
  
“Should I avoid them?”  
  
“Oh please no! Let George get to you. You’re like ‘safe’ in the game.”  
  
“What are they playing?! Hide-n-go-seek? I’m going to smack them both.”  
  
“No. Camera ready. Or have an intern ready. You just get George.”  
  
“Wha—” Callie was about to ask when the door from the stairwell flew open and a crazed George burst into the hallway coming at her like an out of orbit comet. In her head that cut off ‘what’ became ‘what the fuck?’ She watched his approach with curiosity. Cristina said to expect Izzie too. She looked around for the nearest intern as George rushed up the hall. “Hey. Camera ready!” She said deadly fierce as the stairwell door was once again wrenched open. George was over halfway to Callie, but this was flat land and Izzie seemed to be fueled by some wicked desperation. Callie hoped that intern was worth a damn at camera work. For every step of George’s Izzie covered two, she must catch him and no doubt that hope was the only thing blowing her sails after who knows how much chasing and flights of stairs. Callie shook her head. George was running away from Izzie to get to her. In another lifetime that would have been a magical image to her, today it only brought a smile. Or an evil chuckle.  
  
George thrust out his hand with a disposable camera. He looked over his shoulder where Izzie was hot on his heels. He looked desperately at Callie and threw the camera. Wide-eyed Callie caught it and as she did she heard the crash as Izzie Stevens tackled her ex-husband George O’Malley to the floor of the hospital hallway. As she looked up smiling, she heard the click of the camera in her ear and she doubled over in wantonly joyous laughter. The two residents were still in a tangle on the floor and George begged Callie to help him, but she just walked away to the locker room to stash the camera as she dialed Cristina back.  
  
“What. Was that. About?” She said deliberately enunciating each word and savoring the delicious moment that she knew was coming.  
  
“Did you get the big finish on film?” Cristina could not hide the excitement in her voice it was so great and Callie laughed.  
  
“Oh. Yeah.” Callie nodded as she walked and talked. “Why was she chasing him? What did he get on film?”  
  
“Two words:  **Izzie. McPoo**.” Callie could hear Cristina belly laughing and she thought in the background she heard the wailing of Meredith and Lexie too. She thought she could hear someone in the background saying something about ‘coded.’  
  
Callie shook her head. She wasn’t going to get any information at this rate. She closed her locker with the camera safely stashed inside it and wondered if Izzie still had George in a half-nelson on the floor.  
  
“What the hell did he do to her? She tackled him.”  
  
“She. What?!” Cristina was breathless. “Meredith. She tackled him!”  
  
Callie rolled her eyes as she recognized the sound of the phone hitting the ground and heard Cristina cursing as she chased it across the floor. Once Cristina had the phone back under control Callie asked where they were so she could get the story in person. Ultimately Callie was laughing as hard as they were. At lunch, Izzie had been pooped on by a rather large bird, or at least an average sized bird with an above average sized load and George had taken her picture all messy and horrified. Izzie was instantly pissed and lunged for him and the camera screaming that he better give that to her or she’d kill him. He took off toward Callie because it was her camera and he knew that Callie could kick Izzie’s ass. Once they disappeared into the stairwell, the story came from Callie’s end. Lexie did in fact fall out of her chair and then just sat on the ground laughing until there were tears.  
  
***  
**  
7\. Making Whoopee Memories**  
  
Erica had to pinch herself still to believe that they were leaving together tomorrow for England and a little boy. The shadows seemed odd in the living room lit up only by the streetlights. The couch, entertainment center, coffee and end tables, and other basic furniture were being left behind. It would be a hassle to ship them all the way to England when they didn’t even have a house yet. Still it was odd to see her house as if she was a stranger looking in on it. The walls were bare, luggage by the door, disowned furniture in a generic layout—Erica breathed it all in creating a sense memory for the scrapbook of her mind. It was silly, Seattle was not a place that she had a lot of fond memories of, but she still wanted to remember this house. The house where she and Callie had truly become friends. The house where they had truly become lovers. The same house where they chose to meld their lives together in a permanent way by sealing it all with a kiss and choosing each other while life chose England and a son for Callie.  
  
Yes. Erica Hahn would forever remember this house. It had come to represent the best times in Seattle, if not her life. The walls here held true love once all the panic was shaken off. The walls here had a beautiful story to tell—the story of Callie and Erica. An epic love story that could fill the pages of a leather-bound book that would be read and re-read time and time again. A story that flashed in her mind in vivid color from their early friendship and a challenge of darts, to the first comfort of losing a patient together, to their easy closeness over coffee, to their first clumsy kisses away from Seattle Grace as they tried to navigate the motherland, and finally to their make-up where they put it all on the line for each other and to each other—and FINALLY with each other. The film in her mind had slowed down to a stop and as old fashioned as she was it was a reel to reel that ran out as it reached the present—the film flapping as the reels kept spinning. Part 1 of Callie and Erica the Epic was done. It was time to leave Seattle and begin Part 2 of their saga.  
  
The corners of Erica’s mouth turned up in a small wistful smile—she was saying goodbye and taking a new step forward on a path she had never imagined. Upon that thought the corners of her mouth turned up even more and her eyes crinkled as the smile turned vixen—she still had one night left to bank some memories. Erica turned and followed on the heels of that realization as she sought out Callie.  
  
At first Erica thought Callie had read her mind. In the center of the bed, Callie was sitting with her legs spread and bent at the knee her arms resting on her knees. She was only clad in one of Erica’s button-down shirts and a pair of panties. Erica was so glad that she was not in the shower or flannelled up in pajamas, but her jaw dropped as she took in the sight of Callie so obviously ready and waiting for her. She felt herself get wet just at the thought of their great minds thinking alike on this last and festive final night. Callie caught her eyes and gasped when she recognized the lust in them.  
  
Erica slowly untucked her shirt and began unbuttoning it all the while her eyes trained on Callie. For her part Callie always had a fire for Erica, but when she stared her down like that with a predatory and possessive look on her face that fire of lust would flare up out of control inside her. Callie suddenly felt over clothed and slightly damp. She wriggled back a little from where she was sitting her eyes never leaving Erica. “Honey?”  
  
“Yes.” Erica dragged the word out as she stood half naked her hands lowering to the top of her slacks. Callie swallowed hard wiggling on her seat again. “Baby?”  
  
“Uh. I. Was just.” Callie scooted a little more and then Erica’s eyes widened as they noticed Callie’s feet. She looked up again taking all of Callie in, instead of just the parts that she wanted to see. Callie was holding her fingers definitely splayed open and looked interested in Erica, but reluctant. Erica cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow in question. “I just, uh. Finished with the nail varnish.”  
  
“What?” Callie flashed the backs of her hands at Erica showing her the freshly painted nails. “Er. Hmmm. Why?” Erica asked her mood definitely slipping away.  
  
“I want to look good. Magdalena and I would always do our nail varnish before a trip. It was a fun thing to do.” Callie said looking slightly sad that she would not share that time with her cousin again. Erica smiled wistfully at her. Callie was such a caring beautiful woman. They stood quietly for a few moments just soaking in the wonderment of each other and their love.  
  
Then Erica smiled at her getting ready to tease. “Nail varnish, Cal? Seriously? I’m not a lipstick lesbian or whatever, but isn’t it nail polish?”  
  
Callie giggled. “Yes. That too.” Erica took off her pants but left on her panties.  
  
Erica scooped up her clothes and looked around uncertainly before deciding to put them on top of her suitcase. She stood and looked at Callie playfully. “So, what’s with the things between your toes?”  
  
“Separates them so they don’t brush each other and mess up.”  
  
Erica sat next to Callie on the bed. “So, you can’t move?” Erica kissed into Callie’s hair and placed one fist between Callie’s legs right in front of her sex as she leaned forward on both of her fists to kiss Callie and tease her mouth.  
  
“Erica.” Callie uttered, but the warning was flooded with desire and she was subconsciously scooting forward to press her sex against Erica’s fist.  
  
“What?” Erica pulled back to ask looking seductively into Callie’s eyes though her tone was very coy. “What about your fingers, did you just finish them too?” Erica hummed in Callie’s ear causing her to shiver.  
  
“Erica.” Callie panted out biting her bottom lip as she tried to fight her desire.  
  
Erica chuckled a low throaty sound as she nuzzled Callie’s neck and hair. “I just want this to be a memorable occasion.” Callie moaned as Erica’s fist uncurled and she began to rub her sex through her panties.  
  
***  
  
**8\. Kensington Gardens**  


“What do we do first, oh Tour Director, Torres?” Erica asked as her fingers slithered under Callie’s shirt.  
  
“Kensington Gardens.” Erica’s hot breath preceded the bite and lick on Callie’s neck. Callie shivered but continued on. “Changing of the guards.” Callie gasped as Erica’s hand caressed the sensitive spot on the back of her neck. “River Thames.  **Beg Ben**.” Callie mispronounced the last one obviously flustered by Erica’s attentions, earning her a throaty chuckle that vibrated her ear.  
  
“ **Beg** , huh?  **Beg Ben**?” Erica paused her body and whispered in Callie’s ear so that the words would be Callie’s sole focus. Callie swallowed hard and tried to breath normally as she felt her panties getting soaked.  
  
“Trafalgar Square.” Erica pressed her body flush to Callie’s and she moaned as her hands cupped the perfect globes of Callie’s ass.  
  
Another whisper from Erica earned her a full body shiver from Callie. “I like when you list British Places. Your voice is so different.” Erica’s hands found the waistband of her loose jeans and slid down her skin under the panties to squeeze bare flesh.  
  
“Trafalgar Square.” Callie repeated herself trying valiantly to continue since Erica liked it, and she liked what Erica was doing to her. “Westminster Abbey.” Erica withdrew her hands and began to unbutton her jeans and pull them with the panties down just enough to touch her fingers against Callie’s sex.  
  
Callie grabbed onto Erica’s arm forcefully. “Don’t stop.” Erica hissed.  
  
“Erica.” Callie moaned as two fingers slithered through her wetness and then teased her. “You said. You. You said. Erica.”  
  
“Yes?” Erica’s hands stopped. Callie’s breathing stopped.  
  
“You said, uh, umm, Erica, you said the Tate Modern.” Callie was panting by now. “Please.” She pleaded in a tiny squeak of a whisper. “First on the list is you, then dinner at Mango Tree.”  
  
“What time?”  
  
“Two hours. The reservations are hard to get.”  
  
“Hmmm. I want hors’douvres now.” With a hard kiss Erica started her evening.  
  
***  
  
From her perch on the bench, Erica saw that the place was full of families with children, couples, joggers and all kinds of people. Her attention was caught by Callie in the corner of her eye surrounded by a bunch of ducks and swans who wanted the bread crumbs she had brought to share. Callie had befriended a grandmother and her two charges (a boy and a girl who looked like they were out of Mary Poppins) and they were creating quite the uproar in the fowl community around Round Pond. Erica smiled at them and Callie waved. When she waved the children followed her eye and waved as well. Erica felt a tightness form in her heart.  
  
It was a beautiful happy image, but as Erica looked around she became increasingly agitated. Children and their adults were launching boats on the other side of the pond, some were feeding the birds, and others were playing all kinds of games with friends and family. Erica closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breathing. A squeal from Callie’s direction interrupted her quest for peace and she wrenched her eyes open again to find the source of the noise. Callie had the little girl lifted practically over her head and she was spinning with her. The high-pitched squeal sounded pained at first, but seeing the little girl’s eyes shining with excitement, her head thrown back and her hair swaying wildly in the air—Erica realized that it was a squeal of joy. A sound that was rare in Erica’s world.  


When Callie put the little girl down, she demanded another spin, but the boy wanted his turn. Callie obliged him and his whoop of joy was less harsh than the girls, but his look of excitement was no less gleeful. Erica’s heart warmed, but the tightness did not go away. Callie said her goodbyes to the little family and looked around her. Erica closed her eyes against it all once again trying to regulate her breathing. When she felt Callie’s warmth against her thigh she blindly reached out her hand for Callie’s. Her presence was always a strong comfort, but especially now as Erica was sinking into some heavy realizations.  
  
“What’s wrong, Sugar Bear?”  
  
Erica chortled out a confused response. Sugar Bear, really? What happened to Callie’s vocabulary when she arrived in England? Nail varnish and now Sugar Bears? What was next? “It’s just. Sinking in. You know?” Erica indicated with her free hand the scenes around them, as if that magically communicated all of the details of her mind to Callie.  
  
“Well, we’re here in England, but what else is sinking in? There’s kind of a lot going on right now and here.” Callie encouraged Erica and motioned to them and to the park in general.  
  
“Did you call me, Sugar Bear?”  
  
“Uh. Yeah. Is that. Is that not okay?”  
  
“Sweet names, games, ducks…” Erica got up and started pacing in front of the bench while Callie stared at her dumbfounded. Callie tilted her head to the side as she continued to study her girlfriend who was now muttering to herself and freaking Callie out.  
  
“Erica?”  
  
Erica stopped and turned on Callie. Callie’s eyes went wide at this strange reaction from her girlfriend. In a strange distressed voice Erica began ranting. “You were so great with those kids, Callie.” Erica began pacing again and muttering. Callie could catch snippets of it as she sat observing her girlfriend spin out of control: “You can do the model boats…” and later something about, “bread crumbs and games,” Callie was bewildered until she heard Erica say, “With kids.” Comprehension dawned in her brain at that and she stood to capture the wild woman before her. Erica faced her then and pleaded. “How can I do all of that? You talk to every kid we see. You did it back in Seattle too. I can’t do that, Cal.”  
  
“Yes, you can. Erica. You can do all of it and the kids help. They guide you when you’re not sure. I know it’s hard to do something you haven’t before, but you’ll see that they’re fun.”  
  
“That’s just it. For you they’re fun. I’m sitting over here on the bench on the outside. I’m always left watching you. What if? What if I can’t do this, Cal? How am I supposed to be a parent all of a sudden when I can’t even make a kid smile at the bookstore? You just walk around like a kid magnet making it all look so easy. I didn’t even know about feeding bread to ducks and stuff.”  
  
“Erica?” Callie waited until Erica’s frantic blue eyes focused on her. “It’s not easy at first. But it’s like learning surgery. The body tells you. I’ve seen you when you take a heart off bypass and you wait. I’ve seen you listen to the body and let it tell you what it needed. I’ve seen Cristina armed with the paddles ready in a panic, but you’ve held her off waiting for the body to tell you what it needs.” Erica nodded at her—surgery she could understand. “But how did you feel in medical school? How did you feel the first surgery and your first solo? You had to learn to listen and be there in the moment. The same is true for kids. You can do that, Erica. The heart doesn’t tell you with words, little hands, body language and big eyes—but kids do, they tell you what they want and what they need. So, it will be hard, but it is easier than learning how to listen to a heart.”  
  
Erica’s eyes searched Callie’s face uncertainly. The cogs of her brain ticked wildly as she tried to process Callie’s information about listening to a body, to a heart and then making the leap to learning about listening to children. Callie could see the uncertainty flare up behind Erica’s eyes and she took her hand and led her around the pond.  
  
“Erica. I know it’s a lot to take in. That’s why we are starting here together in London before we move on to Brighton. That’s why we’ll stay at an inn in Brighton instead of staying with Aunt Carla and Willie right away. We’re going to take some time to learn how to do this.”  
  
“I’m scared, Cal.”  
  
“That’s my big tough Sugar Bear.” Callie said as she hugged Erica’s arm to her and they continued to dodge goose poop and joggers and toy boat aficionados. “We are going to do this, because we couldn’t stand the alternative remember?”  
  
“Yeah. I do.” Callie stopped her and looked longingly into her eyes.  
  
“You do?” Callie questioned her sweetly. Erica nodded.  
  
“That’s good because ‘I do’ too.” Callie smiled back at Erica as they entered into a more secluded spot and Erica realized what they had just said. Callie pulled her in for a kiss to seal the deal once again this time in England.  


When they had finished renewing their promise to each other, Erica pulled back to look around them. There was a bench along this shady alcove of the pond and it was quiet here. Callie pulled her around to a short wall along the pond and made Erica look down at it over the edge. The figure of a woman was etched into the brick there and Erica looked up at Callie full of wonder.  
  
“‘ **The water came over her shining boots, swallowed up her knees and long thighs, and then made a line around the naked swell of her belly.** ’” Callie shrugged at Erica. “She’s ‘Black Eyes Entering the Water.’” Callie pulled herself up and went to sit on the bench nearby. Erica joined her after looking again at the woman. Erica’s eyes asked for her. Callie smiled before answering. “My Great Aunt loved it here. She was fascinated by the Peter Pan sculpture and she loved feeding the ducks and watching the swans.”  
  
“Thank you.” Erica said. And in her thoughts, she added, ‘Thank you for calming me, teaching me, and sharing with me.’ Out load she added. “You are amazing.” Then she snuggled tightly to Callie for a few moments of peace and quiet in their busy trip to London. After a while Callie wriggled free and stood with her hand out to Erica so they could get going again. “Where to next, Cal?”  
  
“I want to get Mark Sloan a t-shirt from the Horniman museum and gardens.”  
  
“Horny Man?”  
  
“It sounds like that but it’s one word and it’s a name. You’ll see. And the gardens are gorgeous.”   
  
***  
  
**9\. Last Night in London**  
  
“What’s on the menu tonight?”  
  
“You?”  
  
Erica laughed at Callie’s giggles. “Callie.” It was Callie’s turn to tease with light kisses now. “I know you have a plan. This is our last night in London and you’ve been all but sitting on your hands choking back your excitement to tell me about whatever your little plan is.”  
  
“What?” Callie drew out the word looking simultaneously guilty as hell and sexy as hell.  
  
“I don’t want to tell you. But it is almost time to go.”  


“Do we have to drive? You’re scary in the London traffic. And I feel like we’re in a roller skate in that mini-coop.” Erica’s disdain dripped from her voice, but if pressed she would have to admit that despite her fears she was proud of Callie’s Evil Knievel driving in the well-known London traffic.  
  
***  
  
“Where are we, Cal?”  
  
“Cupid’s capsule… The London Eye. Well, actually since it’s not Valentine’s Day, it’s not cupid’s capsule, but we can pretend. This is the relaxed romantic evening that I could have wished for on our first Valentine’s Day.”  
  
“Well. I loved our Valentine’s Day, Cal. Just like I love you.” Erica leaned forward for an Eskimo kiss that lead to light lip brushing kisses followed my tongue teases and then finally a deep soul caressing kiss.  
  
“And I love you, but you know what I mean. Traveling on Valentines, and then heavy emotional discussion and thinking that I was losing you… You have to admit that wasn’t a great start.”  
  
“Well, there is that. But we seem to specialize in not-so-great starts, which is why I am so very pleased that we are not starting anymore.”  
  
***  
  
Champagne, truffles and privacy should have been a sex inducing trifecta according to Callie. She had worn a skirt specifically after all. Sitting pressed against Erica’s side under a blanket, the heat of their bodies singing to each other was almost too much for Callie. She squirmed and wriggled against Erica with her hand rubbing Erica’s jean clad thigh under the blanket. Erica’s breath caught every so often as Callie made her circuit up and down, but she remained focused on the view for three reasons: 1 it was amazing, 2 she wanted to keep her control and 3 it would drive Callie absolutely positively bonkers with need.  
  
The London Eye was the 4th tallest structure in London. The height of the London Eye was equal to 64 red telephone boxes stacked up and as the capsule went up the height of each one, Callie got wetter and felt a whole new level of desire for Erica. It was pleasantly excruciating. If she wasn’t so aroused and so in love she would have said that the slow progression was like 64 levels of lusty hell. Callie growled her sexual frustration pressing her skirt clad legs together trying to stave off her hunger.  
  
Callie pulled Erica’s hand under her skirt up her thigh and almost to her sex where she held it still for many heartbeats. Erica stiffened, but kept her hand where it was placed. After a couple of difficult breaths Callie whispered. “I don’t have any panties on.” She let go of Erica’s hand and closed her eyes in hope. “I’m so wet for you, Erica.” Erica slid her hand back down the thigh to rest on Callie’s knee.  
  
Callie whispered again. Erica said a hushed no. Callie wiggled in her seat letting her legs open under Erica’s hand. Erica took a quick swipe of one oh so gentle fingertip through Callie’s wet folds. Then she said, “No.” She sucked her finger into her mouth and stood to look at the view now that they were at the top. Callie would join her but she didn’t think her legs would work at that point so she just stared at Erica’s beautiful face and the look of wonder she could see reflected in the glass. Almost down to the ground again, Callie joined her.  
  
Leaving the capsule, Callie dragged Erica back to the car like some crazed lunatic defrosted cave man. Erica shook her head as they got in the car and Callie began to maul her. She was glad that Callie didn’t hit her with a stick and drag her by her hair, but she was determined to have a fine farewell to London and this wasn’t it.  
  
“Callie?”  
  
“Hmmm. Yes. What? Baby? Hmmm.”  
  
“We are so not having  **final-night-in-London-sex**  in this roller skate car.”  
  
Callie sat up and crossed her arms in front of her—bottom lip out and everything—the total picture of a petulant child. Erica got it—she’d denied Callie twice within as many hours. But seriously? Two tall people in a mini-cooper trying to do justice to a fake Valentine’s day when they have expensive as hell hotel sheets to go make dirty?  
  
Erica fixed Callie with a glare.  
  
Callie fired up the engine like a NASCAR racer. Erica buckled the safety belt.  
  
***  
  
**10\. How Many Licks?**  
  
Standing along the pier, Erica looked out over the sparkling sunlight as it reflected off the gentle waves and then her gaze extended to take in the sandy shore with families and then turning she eyed the pier they walked along.  Her blue orbs raked over Callie questioningly.  “I can’t believe we’re here.”  Erica leaned an elbow on the railing behind her and tilted her head at Callie trying in vain to find the answers to a long list of questions.  
  
“I can’t believe you came with me.”  Callie nodded at her and followed the path of her eyes over the water, shore, pier, and ending on her lover.  Callie’s list of questions was always shorter, but she still found herself pleasantly surprised that Erica stayed with her despite their initial Grand Canyon of difficulties.  
  
“Well, we were magical together from the very first moment.”  Erica paused looking into Callie’s eyes.  “We just had to move mountains and survive earthquakes, tsunamis, and a few volcanic explosions.”  Erica stood and hugged Callie to her.  
  
“Well, that and I had to trip on myself, serenade you in the middle of the night like some scene from `Say Anything’, punch Izzie Stevens, and get out before you called UNOS.”  Callie ran her fingertip down Erica’s nose to which she responded by trying to bite the finger.  Callie laughed hysterically at the snap of Erica’s teeth together.  Then Callie pulled her in for a kiss.  
  
“You did not hit dear, sweet Isobel.”  Erica uber-sweetly blinked at Callie.  They both knew that they wished one of them did.  After another kiss Erica tried her question again.  “How did you get me to come here though?  Brighton, England and to adopt an 8-year-old boy?”  
  
Callie kissed Erica quickly on the lips and then smirked as she danced her eyebrows at her.  “I told you I was valedictorian in my class at Hogwarts, didn’t I?”  
  
“Oh, that’s how you got me here?”  Erica pulled away from Callie scoffing.  “You bewitched me?”  It turned into a whine as Erica broke away from Callie to pout on a bench.    
  
An older couple walking by smiled at them and the man said, “You used to tease and pout with me.”  The older woman smacked him on the arm and murmured something as they passed by out of earshot.  
  
Callie had a tendency to get distracted and while it was an inopportune moment to do so, she couldn’t really help herself.  “OOOH.  Stay right there.”  She began to turn away, but hearing Erica grumble, she turned back.  “I’ll explain all my Hogwarts charms so you can use them on Willie.  Just give me a sec.”  
  
Erica laughed as she thought of how ludicrous it was—all of it—staying with Callie, moving to Brighton, England which she had to admit she had not specifically ever heard of, and then adopting Callie’s recently orphaned nephew.  Today though, today she was sitting on a pier waiting for her amazing girlfriend to come back, apparently with ice cream.  
  
“One cone, Callie?”  
  
Lick.  Lick.  A mumbled.  “Uh humm.”  The barely coherent reply was the affirmative of Callie’s delightfully delicious moaning.  It was reasonably warm and the soft serve cone was melting as Callie stood there enjoying it.  Lick.  Lick.  Lick.  “Have some Erica.”  Callie brought the cone near to Erica, but not really close enough for her to get in a good lick.  Callie took another long lick on her side of the cone while she gazed into Erica’s eyes on the other side.  Erica leaned properly forward and licked her side of the ice cream cone right back as she watched Callie gulp in satisfaction.  
  
Callie licked again on her side and giggled thinking that she had the upper hand in this exchange.  Erica grabbed her ice cream cone arm close to the elbow to hold it still and she licked from the bottom of Callie’s wrist up across the back of her hand following the trail of melted ice cream and finishing with a satisfactorily loud slurp on the ice cream cone.  The sparkle in Erica’s eyes as she literally licked her lips in delight melted Callie in a whole new way that ice cream alone couldn’t inspire.  
  
“How do you do that?”  
  
Erica took another lick and looked up to Callie.  “What?”  
  
“You take me every time with your eyes.”  
  
Erica shook her head shyly blushing a little at Callie’s words.  “What did you—no.  Never mind.  Finish that ice cream cone.  We are so going back to the inn.”  
  
Callie giggled but stopped when she saw Erica’s rapidly retreating form.  This was no leisurely stroll up the pier like they had taken all afternoon, no this was Dr. Erica Hahn striding away and the world falling at her feet as she went by.  Erica Hahn brooked no challengers as she rode off into the sunset.  “Erica.  Erica?”  Bewildered Callie called out after her.  A group of kids ran by heading up the pier laughing and shouting nonsense to each other.  Callie shook her head and with a last lick on the ice cream cone she set out to follow her heart surgeon love as her heart pounded in her chest.  
  
***  
  
“Erica?”  Callie wasn’t able to keep up with Erica’s pace and she had a head start as Callie slowly digested what she said and the final bits of the ice cream cone.  “Eri—”   
  
She was cut off with a kiss by her half naked girlfriend as soon as she shut the door.  Still fully in Dr. Erica Hahn mode, she stripped off her shirt and bra and unfastened the top of her jeans.  Her hands wasted no time sliding up Callie’s back and undoing the clasps of her bra.  One.  Two.  Three.  She pulled back from Callie to look into her eyes the dark shade of lust telling Callie everything at once as she obediently lifted her arms so Erica could shed her of her shirt.  Erica’s hands were hot on Callie’s skin as they slid her bra straps off her shoulders letting it fall to the ground.  Callie gasped as Erica cupped both of her breasts roughly and claimed her mouth again in a ferocious kiss.  
  
Erica trailed open mouthed kisses along Callie’s jaw line and then down her throat.  A little overwhelmed by the ferocity of this encounter, Callie was simply rubbing her hands-on Erica’s sides as she took it all in.  After a rough bite on her shoulder Callie gasped and clutched at Erica’s sides.  “Eri.  Erica.  Baby.”  Erica stood face to face with Callie and stared eyes full of raging desire into Callie brown pools that had glazed over almost black with lust, but she did not speak.  Her hands trailed down to the front of Callie’ pants and found the button and lowered the zipper as Erica crushed her mouth to Callie again in a claiming kiss.  
  
Erica licked along Callie’s jaw line until she reached her ear.  She licked just below it from where the jaw ends over to behind the ear and Callie’s body shuddered.  Her head fell back as Erica took the lobe between her teeth and sucked on it.  Erica sucked on Callie’s neck almost where her necklace hung over the clavicle and Callie moaned.  With one hand palming and pinching her breast and nipple, Erica trailed her mouth to the other to give it the same attention.  Callie fumbled for balance and Erica pushed her back following her until she was against the door.  
  
Continuing her attentions on Callie’s breasts, Erica bent her whole body and Callie’s hands no longer ran up and down her sides.  Callie’s head hit the door with a thud and she brought one hand up to bite her finger while the other one tangled roughly in Erica’s hair.  Erica bit the nipple she was attending to and Callie moaned the finger in her mouth as she bit down on it savagely.  Erica looked up at her and then kneeled in front of Callie resting her hands on her hips.  Callie moaned again and lowered her hands to her sides looking down at her lover.  Erica trailed her fingers under the waistband of both the jeans and the panties and she pulled them down in a fairly smooth motion.  Callie stepped out of one leg and Erica put her hands-on Callie’s side pushing her back against the door.  
  
In the hall, some teenagers rushed past yelling about cotton candy and winning a bear from a carnival game.  Callie held her breath and then bit her lip when Erica’s hands found her breasts again.  Relaxing into the feel of Erica’s hot breath against her abdomen and the tingles beginning between her legs as Erica’s expert hands worked their magic on her breasts Callie leaned her head back against the door—gently this time.  Across the hall there was a knock on the door and Callie tensed.  With someone standing only three feet from her beyond the wood, Callie held her breath.  Erica rubbed her nose along the line just above her pubic hair—the gentle touch sending a million signals all over her body that said the same thing, ‘Oh please.  Take.  Me.  Now.’  Slowly, Erica trailed her nose back and forth, her breath panting hot on Callie’s mound as her hands continued to palm Callie’s breasts, circle the areola, and pinch the darker rose nipples.  
  
Another knock in the hall and Callie’s breath hitched once again but her hands went back:  one to her mouth and the other into Erica’s hair.  Erica meanwhile let her tongue trail wet across Callie’s abdomen as she continued to trail her nose back and forth.  The door opened in the hall and the man inside started talking to the woman in the hallway.  Callie bit her finger hard stifling a high-pitched moan as one of Erica’s hands trailed slowly and just by fingertips along her ribcage and down her hip to the top of her thigh before sliding down her leg and resting behind her knee.    
  
In the hallway, the woman was flirting with the man.  She said that he looked very handsome today.  Erica’s hand stopped on Callie’s breast and lowered down her side painfully slow.  Her tongue and nose were replaced by open-mouthed kisses as she tasted every inch of Callie’s sensitive stomach.  Erica’s second hand came to rest firmly on Callie’s hip.  Her thumb put pressure on Callie’s hipbone and her fingers tightened around her flesh.  Callie rocked her hip into Erica’s face, but her hand held her firm.  Callie’s head thumped against the door and she could feel Erica smile against her skin.  The man was telling the woman that she was his favorite part of the day.  ‘This is the best part of my day.’  Callie sucked in because she didn’t want to intrude on their conversation.  
  
Callie sucked two fingers into her mouth and then lowered her hand to her breast where she continued the pinching and rolling that Erica began.  It was silent for a moment in the hallway.  With pressure behind Callie’s knee Erica indicated to put her leg over her shoulder.  Erica sank lower and she began to lick the crease between the thigh and Callie’s center, then down and into Callie’s wet folds.  Lick.  Lick.  At Callie’s wet opening Erica lingered with broad strokes up to the front of her slit where she lapped quickly at Callie’s clit.  In the hall there was a mumbled name.  
  
Erica’s tongue made another round from hip to hip.  She thrust her tongue against Callie and the sudden firm contact of her face on Callie’s core was enough to make her shudder on her one firm leg and bang her head against the door.  The hand in Erica’s hair savagely tightened pulling her scalp.  The floorboards in the hall shifted as the people did and the door squeaked on its hinges signaling a change.  Erica licked again from hip to hip a slow firm lick.  The hand holding Callie’s leg over her shoulder tightened its grip.  The hand burning into Callie’s hip lowered crossing the front of her thigh.  
  
In the hallway the woman moaned.  Against the door, Callie echoed her as Erica’s fingers sent ripples of pleasure through her.  Then, she finally sucked Callie’s clit into her mouth forcefully.  In the hallway, there was a cry of surprise and then rapidly retreating footsteps.  Callie moaned again as Erica kept touching and licking her to prolong the ecstasy.  Her head was full of lights as she thrust her hips into Erica as much as she could on one leg.  Her hand came up once again to her mouth and she bit her finger hard.  The earlier bite on her finger throbbed in the same rhythm as her pussy.  Erica continued moving her fingers and twirled her tongue fast against Callie’s clit.  As Callie collapsed and shook—she screamed, “Erica!”  
  
In the hallway the door squeaked once again on its hinges and closed with a thud.  
  
Moving slightly away from the door, Erica  **LICKED**  Callie’s cheek before lying next to her on the floor.  “One ice cream cone.”  Erica flopped next to her lover with a smirk.  Next to her trying to reclaim lung function, Callie’s eyes went as big as saucers.  
  
***


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that I miss Callica??? I really re-read this one and sort of relived it and miss Callica, and goofy zingers, and Tegan & Sara.
> 
> And.... The peeps I interacted with reading and then writing Callica. I miss you guys :)
> 
> I almost want to go back and check out GA S1-4. Yeah. :)

**_The Con #6—part 3/3  
_**  
**11\. Crazy Mouse**  
  
“You’re momma’s cousin?” Willie asked from his safe place next to Great Aunt Carla Beatrice’s armchair in the cozy living room. Erica was ready to have a fit in the small room as she met Callie’s Great Aunt and her soon to be adopted son for the first time in a place that screamed someone else’s familial safe haven and put her very much on edge. Callie was sure that she reminded Erica that she was the world renown Cardiothoracic Specialist, Dr. Erica Hahn, but from the nervous twitch of her eyes and the extra pallor of her skin the message went in one ear and right out the other.  
  
“Yes, Willie. I’m your mother’s cousin. She and I visited each other once a year growing up. My grandmother and your great grandmother Carla were sisters.”  
  
“Who’s that?”  
  
“My girlfriend, Erica.” Callie looked lovingly into Erica’s eyes knowing that her girlfriend was ready to shoot through the ceiling like a rocket to the moon because of her nerves. ‘Sure,’ Erica had rolled her eyes, ‘New person, new guardian, and gay on top of all that.’ Callie had placed a reassuring hand on Erica’s thigh. She would be there for Erica. Great Aunt Carla would be there for Willie and Callie. Eventually, Callie and Erica would be there for Willie with Aunt Carla’s support.  
  
“She’s pretty.” Willie said cocking his head to the side, deep brown eyes so like Callie’s examining her. Erica looked from Willie to Callie to Aunt Carla after this statement in disbelief. “Is she a doctor like you?” Willie pointed at Erica and then Callie.  
  
“Yeah, but she’s a heart doctor and I’m an orthopedic doctor.”  
  
“But you’re both doctors, right?”  
  
“That’s right, Willie. Do you like doctors?”  
  
“Hmmm.” Willie seemed nonplussed at first, but then he got a mischievous look and a wicked Torres smile and changed his tune. “Yeah. Doctors can help people and put on casts and stuff.” Now Willie looked like he thought the two women were indeed superheroes.  
  
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Willie?” Erica tried her hand at talking to the boy.  
  
He slouched back into the cushioned chair suddenly thoughtful with his thumb touching his top teeth. “Fireman.” He said suddenly with a huge grin on his face.  
  
“That’s a great choice. My dad was a firefighter in Dayton, Ohio where I grew up. I can show you some of his firefighter stuff sometime if you want.”  
  
“He was a firefighter?” Willie said in an awed voice as he approached Erica and sat beside her on the couch. “Did he drive the truck?”  
  
“At some point in his career he did drive the truck, but not all the time. I know that he did at some point though. He did every firefighter job there was over his years in the job.” Willie sat next to her and while she was talking he had reached out and stroked her hair springing one of her curls. Callie stifled a laugh as she watched Erica pretend to not be surprised or flinch at the unasked-for contact. Willie was going to be teaching her a thing or two about interacting with people in no time. Callie’s heart swelled again as she was overcome with the urge that this was where her new family needed to be—in Brighton, Erica by her side and taking care of Willie, her cousin’s beautiful boy.  
  
“Did he die in a fire?”  
  
“No. He uh. He died of a heart attack when I was in school.”  
  
“My dad died in the war in Iraq. I never got to meet him.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Willie. I’m sure he was a good man, because you are a perfect little gentleman.” Erica assured him. Willie seemed to take pride in this assessment that he was a gentleman, perhaps it meant to him that his dad was proud of him because he was good.  
  
***  
  
“Nervous?” Callie had a talent for asking the obvious. Erica swore that if Callie was a cardiology intern instead of 5th year orthopedic resident when they met… Well. Her life would have been a living hell and she would not be sure that either of them would have found the happiness with each other that they were destined for. Seriously. The first day that they were going to spend with Willie just the three of them—10 consecutive hours—and that was what she asked?! Erica never wanted to be a parent and she never daydreamed about it.  She did not even gaze longingly at babies. She generally refused to hold infants that appeared in the family and visibly cringed when pregnant women would offer for her to touch their super pregnant abdomens. Children were not on the list anywhere. Although Callie reminded her that she wasn’t originally on the list either. Callie also loved to say that she knew she was now the top of Erica’s list. Erica argued with her that she was not on the top, but Callie tickled her relentlessly and called her a liar.  
  
Returning to the original question, Erica snarked, “Well, you know. Only quaking in my boots.”  
  
Callie flashed her bubbly grin and Erica couldn’t help but laugh at her. “He likes you and, despite yourself, you like him. We’re going to have a great time.”  
  
“Callie! Erica!” Willie squealed then he turned back into the front door and yelled in a screech. “They’re here!”  
  
Aunt Carla came to stand at the door as they gathered up. Willie rushed to grab his backpack before rushing down the steps and across the front yard before any of the adults moved a muscle. Callie and Carla were remembering a trip when Callie and Magdalena were Willie’s age and they went to the pier together.  
  
“Hurry up!” Willie screeched.   
  
Erica turned to him and met him halfway as she kneeled down to his level. “What are you most excited about?” His excitement was contagious and her laughter drew the attention of Callie and Carla.  
  
“Crazy Mouse! Crazy Mouse! Will you go on it with me? Please? Let’s go. Callie. Let’s go.” He ran back and grabbed Callie’s hand pulling her to follow him.  
  
“I’ll see you this afternoon, dears.” Carla waved them off.  
  
***  
  
Crazy Mouse certainly lived up to its name. Not only was it a roller coaster, but as you went through the twists, turns, ups and downs of it—the car itself spun madly. Erica apparently grew up at State Fairs and other sundry places that she won’t go into details about, but she was the master of the teacup style rides. Anything involving spinning and a challenge where her opponent could end up puking violently was right up her alley. This was probably the same insane edge that drove her to cardio all those years ago. Maybe to find her next set of interns, Erica should scout spinning rides throughout the world to find young ladies with the potential for cardio and stomachs of steel. Callie on the other hand frequented very few fairs and focused more on the music and the cotton candy when she did go. Her enjoyment of the rides was limited. However, a healthy dose of fear was right up her alley ala skydiving or bungee jumping and she was well suited to the “Scream Extreme.” Unfortunately for Callie, Willie wanted Crazy Mouse.  
  
“Again.” Willie demanded as soon as they got off the roller coaster.  
  
Callie held her stomach and looked at Erica pleadingly. “I’ll go with him if you want to sit? Or we can walk around and come back to it?” The sparkle in Erica’s eye told Callie that she wasn’t just offering to be nice either. Callie went to take a seat and stare out over the water to calm down. Erica and Willie got back in line.  
  
From the point on the roller coaster closest to Callie, they yelled and waved at her. She looked up and waved back at them and tried to take pictures of them with their new camera. While they spun themselves silly, Callie calmed her tummy and took some pictures of the clouds, the waves, and the stretch of beach she could see from here to the old pier that was falling into disrepair. She made a note that after lunch they should follow the famous walk from the Palace Pier to the old West Parade Pier.  
  
As they walked up to her, she snapped a couple of photos while Erica protested. Willie laughed as he realized Erica’s discomfort, and then he pulled her down so that she had to kneel and he could whisper in her ear. Callie smiled at the tenderness of the moment and how the kid had completely taken control of all their interactions and worries and he was making it an effortless transition. The tenderness was short lived however, because they both rushed Callie with Willie’s little hands finding all of her ticklish spots and Erica holding Callie’s wrists to thwart any defensive attempts.  
  
Out of breath, Erica took the camera and got Willie to pose with Callie for a few shots. In her head, she was already creating a scrapbook of their first outing as a family. Looking at her last shot in the viewfinder, Erica couldn’t help but smile thinking of her own childhood, which was nothing to reminisce about, but it was what she had. Providing something better for Willie while being with Callie and making her happy—that would be something to cherish every step of the way and later Willie would have a childhood worth remembering.  
  
“Honey?” Callie broke her reverie. “You okay?”  
  
Erica shook her head a little and smiled at her new instant family. “Yeah. I was just thinking this was our first outing as a little family. What do you think of that, Willie?”  
  
“I think we’re awesome!” He said seriously and nodded his head. A few kids ran by with their angry older sister behind them and he snapped back to enthusiastic 8-year-old status. “Time for the Turbo!” He said with a gleam in his eye and an elongated “oooo” sound on the end of Turbo in imitation of a turbo booster or something. Erica snapped a photo hoping to capture that moment of childhood innocence where it was still okay to imitate a rocket in normal conversation. It wouldn’t come back again once it was gone, so she tried to capture it forever in the pixels.  
  
“You up for it, Cal? I don’t think it spins.”  
  
“Yeah, but then it’s time to walk from here to the West Parade Pier. Okay, Willie?”  
  
“Yes, ma’am.” He said cheekily. Then his eyes got big, “Can we have waffles with cream and chocolate sauce?”  
  
“My favorite. How did you know?” Callie said and poked him in the ribs as they both giggled and Erica cringed at the pure sugar of it all. “Come on. You’ll love it.” Callie said holding her hand out to Erica as Willie pulled her toward the Turbo.  
  
“If I don’t love it, you have to go on Crazy Mouse again.” The blonde whispered in Callie’s ear tickling her and making her giggle.  
  
***  
**  
12\. High Art**  
  
Camera manual in hand, Erica fidgeted with the settings as she took pictures of the room, her feet, and the stuffed animal on the shelf that Callie won at a game on the pier. Then she looked at the photo on the small screen clicking buttons to zoom in and check the focus and biting her lip as she contemplated changing the exposure. In junior high and high school, Erica loved photography. She had been on the yearbook staff and found that she had a surprising talent with photography. Her teacher didn’t even mind that many of her photos were of scenery at the school and not always the people. In fact, when a layout was needed at the end of production, he asked her to create one of scenery pictures of the school and local area to showcase her work.  
  
When they sold the leftover pictures at the end of the year all of her scenery pictures were bought first and she was even asked to sign a few of them. It had been a highlight that ended up locked up safe in her mind as she entered college and medical school while her family entered the hospital and mourning. Erica’s beloved camera was given to her brother when he began college and Erica focused on the intricacies of the human body instead of human living. Erica always took snapshots in her mind, but she rarely took actual photographs and did not allow herself time to think of photography as art.  
  
Playing with the camera, relaxing into this new life, and Callie’s appearance in a towel kicked Erica’s brain into gear though. In a flash, Erica was taking pictures of Callie as she approached her. Snap of her legs, the edge of the towel on her thigh, her arm over the towel, her face in shock framed by wet hair, and her flirty approach—never the whole of Callie, but snippets that, taken together, created a sensual tapestry that Erica wanted to lose herself in. Erica’s hungry eyes had never devoured Callie like THIS before. So, Callie straddled her lover letting the towel fall behind her as she did.  
  
Callie’s warm nakedness over her cool clothed form was a study in contrasts that Erica would never tire of pondering. With the object of her desire this close and personal, Erica decided on a more hands on approach. Setting the camera aside, Erica looked deeply into Callie’s eyes—they only touched their souls as they breathed in and out their love without words. Erica’s hands were cold on Callie’s back but they warmed as they splayed out to cover as much skin as they could possess. Erica leaned her head forward resting her face against Callie’s chest and absorbing the feel of her, listening to the heart beat, and savoring the beauty of the moment—the pure art of Callie’s naked form wet and waiting for her.  
  
Erica slid her cheek against the swell of Callie’s breast luxuriating in the feel of the tiny hairs on her cheek against Callie’s breast. Callie placed on arm around Erica’s neck and thrust her chest forward to initiate more contact with Erica. Erica reveled in this pleasure back and forth until she couldn’t stand it anymore and her tongue traced the path of her cheek. Erica lingered near Callie’s nipple before circling back to the center of her chest eliciting a moan from Callie. “Shhh.” Erica breathed onto Callie’s skin before giving the same teasing treatment to Callie’s other breast. Finishing with the teasing tongue again, Erica licked up the middle of the valley between Callie’s breasts. Keeping one hand on Callie’s back her other trailed down her rib cage over her hip and rubbed along her thigh slowly. Erica’s tongue journeyed under one of Callie’s breasts with alternating gentle teases and full pressure licks. Callie’s hips started to circle on Erica’s lap and Erica could feel her core heating up in sympathy. Callie whimpered. “Shhh.” Erica breathed onto her skin again before sucking a nipple hard into her mouth daring Callie to make noise again.  
  
When Callie didn’t make a sound, Erica flicked her tongue against Callie’s nipple in her mouth. The sucking combined with the tongue flick earned Erica a shudder through Callie’s body that soaks her own panties. “Good girl.” Erica whispered against Callie’s skin. Only the audible swallowing they had to do to fight the volume of their passionate noises interrupted their panting. Hearing their mutual arousal made Erica snap. The hand on her thigh trailed over Callie’s leg and into her wetness. Erica gasped against Callie’s nipple as she felt the wetness Callie had built up for her. Callie thrust her hips closer to Erica’s fingers wanting and waiting for her touch.  
  
Erica tightened the pressure of her hand on Callie’s back and renewed her attentions to Callie’s nipples as she met Callie’s need in a smooth thrust. Moving in time with Callie’s rolling hips, Erica found that she was flexing her own muscles in sympathy. Erica didn’t want to pull away and she groaned, when she shifted and Callie moaned in protest, but then she was slowly torturing Callie with lusty circles on her bundle of nerves. Callie’s hand on Erica’s shoulder began to claw and grasp tightly. Erica lowered her hand once more this time drawing a wanton moan from Callie, while leaving her thumb resting on Callie’s clit.  
  
“Hmmm. Uhhh. Eri.” Callie couldn’t complete words, let alone ideas.  
  
“Shh. Callie. Shh.” Erica pressed firmly on Callie’s back and stilled her other motions as her mouth clamped down on the sensitive underside of Callie’s breast. Two heartbeats then three went by, Erica could feel Callie’s pulse as her body spasmed against her fingers and she had to squeeze her own legs together to fight the passion she felt welling up. Callie nodded and Erica released her breath. She sucked hard at the flesh under Callie’s breast leaving a small heart shaped mark. She resumed her attentions, with her thumb brushing against her clit in the same rhythm. Callie had both hands firmly grasping Erica’s shoulders and she was leaning back against Erica’s hand as her hips thrust forward and her thighs flexed as she chased her ecstasy.  
  
Desire flooded Erica’s brain and she wanted everything at once. She knew that Callie was close and it was driving her insane. She wanted to taste Callie, to throw her on the bed, to stand her up on the couch where she was and have her ride her face: she wanted to claw at her skin and push her against the wall and drive into her. Erica held Callie’s back hard and rested her face sideways along Callie’s chest trying for air as Callie drew closer and closer to the edge. When the tremors started, Erica had a moment of clarity and she turned to catch a nipple in her hungry mouth and suck that nipple hard as Callie pushed her hips forward in one last thrust to before she collapsed forward against Erica in a panting hot mess of boneless ecstasy.   
  
Callie lost consciousness or as close as she had ever come to it after sex and she did not react when Erica lifted her up, laid her on the bed and kissed her. Callie rolled on the bed in a languid after sex full body spasm as her muscles continued to flex and her hands grabbed the sheets.  She tried not to make any of the noises that were waiting in her throat to burst out. Erica’s mind circled back to the beginning of this escapade and she decided to let Callie cool down in a way that heats her up. Pictures. Erica stripped down and picked up her camera. She clicked away capturing Callie’s grip on the sheets, her knees drawn tightly together, her face scrunched up in pleasure before her lips parted and a single stifled moan was released—again never the whole naked form of her lover, surely not without permission—but snippets of a sensual tapestry that Erica could lose herself in.  
  
As Callie came back into herself, she watched a naked Erica devour her with the camera. She had never wanted to model before and never once had she considered nude modeling, but here she was feeling loved, cared for, safe, and turned on beyond belief that Erica had given her the most mind-blowing although quiet orgasm of her life and was still devouring her form and pleasing the both of them. Who knew her Erica had a secret passion for photography? Callie watched amused as Erica set the camera on a piece of furniture aimed at the bed and then futzed with the buttons a bit.  
  
When Erica joined her in bed and she heard the shutter click, Callie moaned. What a scrapbook this would be. Callie posed with Erica for many clicks of the automatic shutter, but when it started to get heated, Callie went to the camera and turned it off. It was only fair because Erica took pictures before and after their lovemaking, not during. Callie smiled to think that she could control the camera afterwards when Erica was out of it.  
  
***  
  
**13\. Tucking In**  
  
In the weeks since coming to Brighton, Erica and Callie settled in with Callie’s Great Aunt Carla Beatrice. Erica was amazed at the hospitality that this elderly woman showed them. She had been taking care of Willie since his mom’s car crash on a trip to London three months ago. It took a while to make arrangements, decisions, and then come to England, but the woman accepted the both of them along with her grandson into her cozy very English home.  
  
Erica had to pinch herself in the mornings when she woke up.  Even several weeks into this journey, she still looked out into the yard to see if maybe Peter Rabbit wasn’t out in the garden after all. Erica was thankful that they stayed for a week at the inn and made a vacation out of it, as they met Willie the first times in public places and then at the house before they were all of a sudden living together.  
  
Callie always tucked Willie in at night. Erica first lurked about in the hallways, until one evening he called out to her, “Erica.” She poked her head into the dim room. “You should be here, too.” He solemnly told her and Erica could find no fault to his logic and so she came and sat on the floor beside Callie as she started reading again. At first, Erica watched Willie and then as he relaxed into a sleeping posture, she turned her attention to Callie. Callie was so gentle and seemed to take to this transition in her life like a fish out of water. Erica noted to ask her about it later. Instant mother no problem, but relationship with best friend instant freak out. But they were here together now and there was no way that Izzie Stevens would swim the Channel to break them up, no way, no how.  
  
“Here is James Henry Trotter when he was about four years old. Up until this time, he had had a happy life, living peacefully with his mother and father in a beautiful house beside the sea. There were always plenty of other children for him to play with, and there was the sandy beach for him to run about on, and the ocean to paddle in. It was the perfect life for a small boy.  
  
“Then, one day, James’s mother and father went to London to do some shopping, and there a terrible thing happened. Both of them suddenly got eaten up (in full daylight, mind you, and on a crowded street) by an enormous angry rhinoceros, which had escaped from the London Zoo.  
  
“Now this, as you can well imagine, was a rather nasty experience for two such gentle parents. But in the long run it was far nastier for James than it was for them. Their troubles were all over in a jiffy. They were dead and gone in thirty-five seconds flat. Poor James, on the other hand, was still very much alive, and all at once he found himself alone and frightened in a vast unfriendly world. The lovely house by the seaside had to be sold immediately, and the little boy, carrying nothing but a small suitcase containing a pair of pajamas and a toothbrush, was sent away to live with his two aunts…”  
  
Callie always read for a considerable amount of time beyond when she thought Willie was sleeping. A couple of times, she had thought he was out only to be called back when he realized she wasn’t there and he was alone. His upset got to her so much that she preferred to make sure he was well and truly out before even trying to leave. She usually stopped and counted to some magic number in her head, before asking in a whisper, “Willie, are you awake?” When he grumbled and rolled away from her, she would quietly and carefully stand and pause again. If he stayed facing away from her she would slowly back out of the room and gently pull the door shut. Erica would watch from the hallway because she didn’t have the patience to wait for all of that. As soon as Callie stopped reading Erica hopped up. When Willie called Callie back into the room, Erica would go ahead and get ready for bed on her own and wait for Callie in their room.  
  
***  
  
James and the Giant Peach was always read at bedtime and Erica could not understand it. The main character loses both of his parents in a horrible death and yet Callie reads it to Willie, who also lost both parents early on. It didn’t make sense to her why Callie would read that to him. Although Erica had to admit that she never saw the boy react in a negative way to the story. So, walking back to their room Erica finally asked Callie about it. “Why do you read that one to him?”  
  
Callie turned to her confused, “What?”  


“Why do you read that one? Does he like it?”  
  
“Erica, that’s his favorite book. Why wouldn’t I read it to him?”  
  
“Well, the parents were eaten by a rhinoceros, and he had to go live with two strange aunts. Don’t you find that an odd thing to read to a boy who lost his parents and had to come live with us?”  
  
Callie pondered this for a moment as if the thought had never occurred to her. Perhaps, Erica reasoned to herself, it hadn’t. They had read through it twice already in the span of weeks and there was a lot more to the book than the opening scene. Callie shrugged at Erica, “It’s his favorite, although that is kind of twisted now that you mention it.” Callie paused as they walked down the hall. “But he didn’t lose both parents at the same time and not to a crazy rhinoceros. And he didn’t have to go live with us—we came to him.” Callie leaned close to Erica to whisper. “We are so not Sponge and Spiker.” Callie pulled back and giggled at her lover. “Please E. Don’t wig out on me.”  
  
“Okay. Okay. It just struck me as odd listening tonight.”  
  
***  
  
“Can I tuck you in? You always tuck in Willie and I need to practice my skills.” Erica asked in her best innocent and ‘I really want to learn’ voice.  
  
So Callie in her best ‘in the spirit of practice’ answered, “Yes, but I get to pick the bed time story.”  
  
“Yes. Dear.”  
  
They entered the quaint little bedroom down the hall from Willie and across from Aunt Carla Beatrice. It was a private room to be sure, but this was a small old house and they had not tested the limits of its privacy as of yet. They each got ready for bed with little lingering touches on irresistible curves and teasing kisses. Callie grabbed her notebook of fanfiction and got into bed. Erica dutifully tucked the cover around her and kissed her forehead. She took the notebook from Callie and sat next to her. “Which one do you want, Callie?”  
  
Very sweetly, Callie looked up with her beautiful brown eyes and fluttered her eyelashes. “Two Can Play That Game.” Erica turned to the tab with the same label and laughed as she looked at the page.  
  
“What is this Callie? You found a story with our names in it?” Callie nodded with her eyes full of childhood innocence that Erica was sure was a front but couldn’t help believe. “And they are doctors? And she plays video games?” Callie nodded again, but Erica noticed she didn’t speak so that she wouldn’t have to crack into a laugh. “Scoot over.” Erica told her and she sat facing Callie throwing one leg over her to trap her under the blankets.  
  
“‘Relax... That was the only word floating around in Erica’s mind as she scrubbed out from her final surgery of the day. For the last week Seattle seemed to have some unknown current flowing through it which made any minor heart surgery change from a routine procedure into a hellish complication that took twice as long as it normally should to complete.’”  


Erica stopped reading and looked at Callie suspiciously. “Where did you find this?”  
  
“Um. I may have prompted the writer to, uh, write a story, uh, about us.”  
  
“Callie.” Erica’s tone had a warning to it.  
  
“Please. You’ll really like it and you’ll understand why I check my blackberry all the time. Please.”  
  
Erica continued reading and then when all was said and done she decided to mirror the story in real life. She told Callie a story as she teased her with kisses and light touches, but she wouldn’t let Callie out from under the blanket. Erica straddled Callie over the blanket pinning her there. Erica was increasingly pleased with her game, especially after Callie’s story had her inspired. Callie whined and protested as Erica teased her breasts through the blanket, and kissed all over her face, neck, and chest. The ‘piece de resistance’ was Callie’s lust filled eyes and choked back moans when her whining ran out and she had to give in to the pleasure.  
  
Finally, Callie had enough and she freed her arms and gathered her strength to push Erica off to the side of the bed. Erica squealed in shock and delight as Callie flipped on top of her. There was an uncomfortable tangle of blankets between their scantily clad bodies, but their heavy breathing and racing pulses more than made up for the small discomfort. Erica struggled and Callie pinned her diagonally on the bed. A teasing story turned into a teasing situation and just like in the story the tables were flipped just like that. Callie hovered above Erica waiting for her to strain her neck reaching for a kiss that she would hold just out of reach.  
  
The tension between them was intense. The eye contact, the physical struggle, the fight for dominance in the situation—all of it was palatable and they were all too willing to give into it—as long as the other gave in first. They did not hear footsteps in the hall or the doorknob turning, but they did hear Willie’s small sleep filled voice in the night. “What happened? Is Erica okay? She screamed.”  
  
With that Callie’s boy short camisole clad body whipped around to look at her adopted son. Erica, while equally shocked, had the luxury of being partially covered by the blanket. Erica also had the view of Callie’s face when the moment was broken and Callie first heard Willie’s voice. As a consequence of these two advantages, Erica couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. Callie whipped her attention back to her lover in an instant. Willie stood looking at them uncertainly until Erica sat up and tickled Callie saying to Willie, “Tickle fight. Get her.”  
  
Willie had a penchant for tickle fights and he was young enough to be distracted, so in no time at all, he was on the bed with them and part of the fray. After several moments of back and forth tickling, all three of them they lay down in an exhausted heap breathing heavily. “You guys are crazy.” Willie said with a huge grin as he curled up on Erica’s side and tucked his head into the crook of her neck. He slipped into sleep instantly.  
  
“I think we need to wear some form of pajamas from now on, Cal.”  
  
“Or, remember to lock the door.” Callie teased.  
  
“I had no idea what kind of bedtime story you were going to pick.”  
  
“Now you know. And can count on it.”  
  
“Love you. Goodnight.” Erica stroked Willie’s hair gently and closed her eyes.  
  
“Sweet dreams. Love you.” Callie curled up comfortably with her family.  
  
***  
  
“How did you get Erica back?” Willie’s question was simple, but Callie faltered.  
  
Erica smirked, “Good luck with that one, Callie.” She said and turned back to her laptop. Callie rolled her eyes and looked at Willie, but he really wanted an answer so she leaned in and whispered to him. Erica stole a glance at them but didn’t want to commit to spying. They got up and left. Erica smiled when she heard laughter down the hall. ‘Situation avoided.’ Erica thought to herself and hit send on her email.  
  
A few minutes later, Willie interrupted her computer reading. “Can I turn on the stereo?” He had a CD on his finger and clearly wanted to share his music with her. Erica nodded her assent and quietly wondered where Callie was. After all, Callie was his actual aunt and Erica was still adjusting to her role as adoptive parent. Surely sharing music on the stereo couldn’t be outside her realm, she shrugged to herself. The music was a little loud, but Erica quickly recognized it and shook her head.  
  
On cue with the first line of the song, Callie came in singing. She had on her rock star sunglasses and her darkest red lipstick. She was in a Tegan and Sara concert t-shirt and ripped jeans and she was playing the air guitar when she was not pretending to rock the microphone. Willie squealed with delight watching her and turned with wide eyes full of wonder on Erica who blushed at Callie’s current antics as well as the cheesy memory of the first serenade. When Callie kneeled in front of Erica and sang directly to her, Willie jumped off the couch and jumped up and down for joy. He was thoroughly entertained, totally distracted and if he only knew—he had a partial but very true answer to his question. Callie did indeed use this song to explain herself to Erica when all was said and done.   
  
“I just want back in your head.  
I just want back in your head.  
I'm not unfaithful, but I'll stray.  
When I get a little scared,  
When I get a little,  
  
When I jerk away from holding hands with you,  
I know these habits hurt important parts of you.  
Remember when I was sweet and unexplainable?  
Nothing like this person, un-loveable.  
  
I just want back in your head.  
I just want back in your head.  
I'm not unfaithful, but I'll stray.  
When I get a little scared,  
When I get a little,  
Run, run, run, run.”  
  
***  
  
“Great performance.” Erica chided Callie once they were safely in their room. “If only it was that easy, huh?”  
  
“Hey. We don’t want to scar the kid.” Callie retorted quickly. “I mean what would he think if he knew that his new parents were a  **STALKER**  and  **TORTURER**?”  
  
“Torturer?” Erica snapped around at Callie whose eyes went wide and a shocked laugh was trapped in her throat. “You.” Erica stuttered out. “You think I was the torturer?”  
  
“Well. You wouldn’t talk to me and I felt tortured.”  
  
“Oh. We are so not going there.” Erica shook her head in disbelief. “Let’s just go with the fact that you are a stalker and we are both tortured souls, shall we?” Erica looked up at Callie her eyes burning into her and daring her to challenge this claim.  
  
Feeling the physical force of Erica’s eyes, Callie quickly replayed that night in her head. Ultimately, she agreed with Erica, but she didn’t want to give in so easily. “You admit you are a tortured soul, then?” Callie said provocatively as she approached Erica.  
  
“Tortured by you.” Erica said as she grabbed Callie’s hair from behind and held her still. Their breath mingled and their eyes locked on each other. Erica’s breath caught and Callie pressed her advantage wrapping her arms around Erica so that she could feel the soft press of her breasts against her and know her body was hot for her.  
  
“Who knew?” Callie whispered against Erica’s lips. “Hahn likes torture.” Callie traced the tip of her tongue along Erica’s lower lip, but that’s as far as she could get with Erica still holding her hair tightly.  
  
Unconsciously, Erica licked her lips following the tingle Callie left there. Still holding Callie’s hair Erica bit along Callie’s jaw and then sucked her ear lobe into her mouth. Callie gasped and turned her head into Erica, but she just tightened her grip on Callie’s hair writing an unspoken rule that Callie was not to move for now. Erica kissed and licked her way down the side of Callie’s neck and then lingered over her pulse point as she listened to Callie’s breathing become more erratic. Callie let her head fall back granting Erica access to her throat. When Erica lingered longer than Callie’s patience could hold back, she moaned. “Torturer.”  
  
Erica pulled back looking at Callie and then walked her to the bed and pushed her back onto it. “I haven’t even started to torture you yet.” Erica hissed as she accepted the title and relished in the torture she was about to dish out to Callie. Looking up at Erica through hooded eyes, Callie whimpered as she tried to prepare herself for the tortures of lust and love Erica was about to unleash on her.  
  
***  
  
One afternoon, Erica found herself and Willie alone for the third time. She was overall less nervous than she had been, but they had only been in England for a couple of months and she would still have flashes of uncertainty. Callie reminded her to think of Willie as a future intern and then treat him a lot nicer. Generally, this advice worked, mainly because it made Erica laugh and by that time Willie had already given her some clues as to how to proceed with their plans. Today Willie had been content to play with his toys in the garden making up stories and generally having a jolly good time. Erica busied herself reading medical journals and familiarizing herself with British medicine through her various email contacts. Their whole romance and trip to England had been a fairy tale whirlwind, but reality would be calling soon and the non-work vacation would come to an end.  
  
Erica had just put the last of her journals away and slipped her laptop back in its case so that everything was as tidy in the room as she had found it. She walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water and when Willie saw her, he waved and jumped up to come inside. Erica poured him a glass of water too and moved into the living room. Hearing Willie behind her, Erica turned to smile at him. He wasn’t as dirty as the last time he had played in the garden and she was relieved. Callie had to practically wrestle him out of his clothes last time and she got in the shower with him fully clothed. Erica laughed at the time, but as she looked Willie over she was filled with relief that she wouldn’t have to repeat that. Of course, Erica had a plan B, which was to simply take Willie back into the yard and hose him off thoroughly before he could even enter the house and to strip him before he could.  
  
Fortunately that was not necessary as his playing must have been more sedate. He regarded her in return and when his eyes landed on her hands at her sides he sucked in a breath of air. Willie rubbed the right side of his face in thought for a moment, but looked again at Erica’s hands. She cocked an eyebrow in question at him but said nothing. She had learned to let Willie lead and today home alone with him would be no exception.  
  
“Why haven’t you and Callie gotten married? Are you going to get married? My parents were married, but I don’t really remember them together. My mom always played with her ring that my dad gave her. She said he was always in our thoughts and that he was watching over us. Do you think she’s watching over us too?”  
  
With every question that poured out of Willie’s mouth more symptoms of fight or flight kicked in for Erica. Her eyes widened, her palms were sweaty, her heart rate accelerated, she looked from him to the door and back wildly, and time stopped which made it all feel like this small happy 8-year-old boy had Erica pinned on the ground with no hope of escape or pardon for execution. ‘Where the hell is Callie? Doesn’t he need air? Is he an alien and he’ll take over the world starting with the sacrifice of me? I don’t have any answers.’ Erica sat down on the couch staring at Willie who paused, oblivious to her panic, and prepared another list of questions for her as he sat as close to her as he could get without actually climbing in her lap. He was fully prepared to climb into her lap, but she was sitting forward with her head cradled in her hands and her elbows on her knees—breathing deeply and listing heart surgeries and related procedures in her head.  
  
Willie began round 2. “Who would propose? You or Callie? You are kind of older, so would you propose? My dad was younger than my mom, but he was afraid he’d get shipped out before he could tell her how he really felt, so he just went for it. She was so happy that he proposed to her. She told me the story over and over. Mom’s face used to light up when she’d talk about him. You do the same thing when Granny or I mention Callie. Did you know that? Your eyes sparkle and you smile all the way to your eyes like this.” Willie grabbed Erica’s arm and yanked it, so she had to look at him and he gave her his biggest, cutest most Callie-like smile ever. “See?” He said after Erica had looked at his smile.  
  
Erica weakly smiled back at him. He was chattering along happily even if he was making her feel like part of the Salem Witch Trials. Erica shivered. ‘Where’s Callie?’ She chanted in her head.  
  
Winding up for the pitch and breathing deep, Willie let fire again with his stream of questions and observations. “If something happened to Callie like my mom and dad, you’d take care of me, right? I mean, well, you’ve got to get married so that you could. And then you’d have a ring too and you’d always know Callie was with us. Callie would have a ring, too. If something happened to you, she’d take care of me, right? Like mom did after dad died? And she’d always know you were with us. Don’t you want a ring?” Willie gently, but firmly grabbed Erica’s hand and held it in both of his own small ones over his lap. He motioned like he was putting a ring on her ring finger like he had done many times to his mom’s finger. “Right there.” He said solemnly before he patted Erica’s hand and took a deep breath. For many moments, Willie sat and looked down at their hands. Stunned, Erica stared at the top of Willie’s head, for once wishing that she was neuro or at least psych and could figure out what was in his head. That was a pretty serious laundry list of things he had rattled through and Erica felt lost as to where or how to even begin. Mostly she wanted him to just stop, because until then she couldn’t even begin to hope to come up with a plan.  
  
Silence held them in a protective bubble, but it was not uncomfortable. A bond was being formed right before Erica’s eyes. She was in awe of the young man sitting beside her. Willie swallowed and looked seriously up into Erica’s eyes. “I miss her.” He said tears filling in the backs of his eyes now that he had slowed down long enough to let the feelings catch up to him. Erica’s heart broke for him all over and she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “I miss her so much.” He sobbed and wrapped himself around Erica like she was his totem pole of safety. Maybe she was?  
  
Erica sat with Willie and rocked him until his breathing evened out and he slowly pulled away from her. She kissed him on the head and let him go. He stayed sitting close to her like before and he took her hand in his own again. “You should have a ring for Callie.” He said very quietly.  
  
“Would that show you, we were really together?” Erica pulled his face up to look at hers with her free hand. She closed her eyes a moment then opened them and looked back into his deep brown eyes. “You know I only came to England for Callie and for you. I loved her enough to cross the ocean and I love you both enough to stay and make this work. It’s the same promise as the ring.”  
  
“I know.” Willie sniffed and then used the back of his hand to wipe his tears.  
  
“But?”  
  
“The ring tells the whole world. It links you no matter what happens.”  
  
“Then let me show you a ring and come up with a plan, okay, mister?”  
  
“Yeah. And ice cream.” Willie nodded solemnly to seal the deal.  
  
Erica smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Ice cream indeed. He was definitely Callie’s blood. Erica sat Willie on their bed and retrieved the rings she had ordered before leaving the States. After Willie nodded his approval they went to get ready to leave. “We’ll have to find a way to include you in on the promise.” Erica whispered in his ear. “We need to leave Callie and your Grandma a note.”  
  
***  
  
Callie got home after a long day of shopping with some friends of Magdalena’s.  It had been fun, but also emotionally draining.  They had to get to know each other again, since it had been many years since they had spent time together.  Callie thought it was incredibly thoughtful of them to reach out to her after hearing about Magdalena, but it was also difficult to remember their childhood times of laughter and wonder.  Drinks after lunch had eased the nervousness that Callie felt and loosened their tongues up to start telling stories.  The afternoon passed by in a blur and Callie was glad her thoughts of Erica and Willie were temporarily distracted.  They were not completely distracted, but it was a pleasant day all in all.  
  
Callie was amused that they were so impressed with her becoming a doctor and moving all this way to take care of Willie.  They thought that she had the courage of a mountain of stone.  Inwardly, Callie smiled thinking of her mountain of stone (who was really just an awkward hard edged cardiothoracic surgeon who was a scared Sugar Bear on the inside).  Julia had caught her thoughts and eventually dragged the information out of her.  They were all shocked and pleased that Callie was so happy and had someone to help her in all of this upheaval.  They laughed when she told them about how she had come home expecting to have to leave Erica behind and then calling herself a soldier and wanting Erica to come with her.  If Callie had told them to pretend they were on a roller coaster with their hands in the air and appropriate oohs and ahhs—they could not have reacted more perfectly.  
  
So it was with a tired body, but a happy spirit that Callie came into the house expecting to be greeted by the warm eyes of her lover and the messy hug of her 8-year-old boy.  Only to find she was greeted by a note, two water glasses left in the living room, and silence in the twilight of the day.  Callie put the glasses in the sink smiling as she remembered Erica’s note.  “What could he have talked her into shopping for?”  Callie asked herself as she got out the ingredients for a casserole that was easy and delicious.  
  
Feet up, glass of wine, copy of DIVA magazine and comfortable cushions made Callie a happy girl.  As much as she missed Erica and Willie today, she was glad to have the house to herself for once.  In fact, it was the first time since their arrival that Callie had been alone.  A symptom of their life on ‘vacation’ had been that they had no jobs and nowhere they needed to be—so no time alone.  Erica and Callie had time for just the two of them when they arrived in London, but being on ‘vacation’, they stayed together.  Callie smiled to herself thinking that they must really be settling in, if Aunt Carla Beatrice was out doing her own thing, Callie had left most of the day, and Erica and Willie had gotten a wild hair for their own shopping adventure.  
  
Callie dozed on the cushions after she finished her magazine and glass of wine.  She had sweet dreams of the motorcycle women from the magazine teaching her how to give Erica a ride on one of those big bikes.  Dream Erica even had on a bandana to control her unruly hair and a red motorcycle jacket to go with her jeans and black leather biking boots.  Something changed in the dream as they rode on and she could hear Willie’s voice so the bike pulled up at Carla Beatrice’s house and they went to see him.  He was laughing like he was going to burst into light like pure joy and Callie smiled.  Something itched her nose and she woke up to see the retreating forms of Erica and Willie as they disappeared down the hall.  
  
Sitting forward, blinking lazily, and trying to decide if she had in fact dreamed that last part or not, Callie continued to sit on the couch.  Shortly the smell of the casserole in the oven and the timer going off convinced Callie that she was indeed awake.  Although the silence of the house confused her as to whether she had really seen Erica and Willie.  Shaking her head at herself Callie checked the casserole and turned the oven down to ‘warm’ in order to keep it hot for their dinner later.  Passing the hallway, Callie looked down and thought she heard whispers.  She looked down the hall again and saw the light under the door of the bedroom she shared with Erica.  
  
Callie was about to step down the hall and confirm her suspicions when the door opened a crack and Willie squealed before slamming it again.  Callie could hear his excited whisper all the way down the hall and she smiled to herself.  ‘What could her two favorite people be up to?’  She wondered.  Willie opened the door once more and hissed at her.  “Go sit down!”  He closed the door and then immediately opened it.  “In the living room!”  He added and before he could even close the door this time he was back.  “Please.”  Callie shrugged at the mystery, but did as she was asked and went to sit in her former napping place in the living room.  
  
As he did for Callie, Willie brought in a CD and asked if he could put it on.  She let him just as Erica had and he left the room.  Callie shook her head again but smiled when one of her favorite songs began.  Willie came back this time wearing her Tegan and Sara Concert T-Shirt and Rocker Sunglasses.  He appeared to be playing bass.  Callie clapped her hands together when Erica came in wearing her sleeveless black Tegan and Sara shirt, those denim biker jeans Callie was dreaming about, along with the Tegan and Sara DC shoes.  What took her breath away was the sight of Erica in blue flashing glasses like the ones Tegan had put on at the concert in Berkeley they had found on YouTube.  
  
“I want to draw you a floorplan  
Of my head and heart  
I want to give directions  
How for this  
What you'll be looking for  
What you'll be looking for  
I know  
I'll hold this loss in my heart forever  
I know I'll hold, I'll hold”  
  
Erica Hahn never did anything in halves.  She was not a part way kind of girl and she did not become a part way kind of woman.  Heart surgery.  Moving to England.  Loving Callie.  Becoming a parent.  No, there was no dare, Mark Sloan, that Erica Hahn would turn down.  She would spin on Crazy Mouse back to back with an 8-year-old and dress up with him to serenade Callie.  When they got to the chorus Erica did not hold back.  She held her hand to her ear like Tegan did and she belted out the chorus much to Willie’s delight.  In fact, he stopped playing air bass and went to sit with Callie as he watched Erica’s performance.  
  
“All eyes are on me now  
I want your lungs to stop working without me  
I think about writing you  
I thought about calling you  
What was I looking for  
What am I looking for  
I know  
I'll hold this pain in my heart forever  
I know I'll hold, I'll hold  
All eyes are on you now”  
  
As the song ended, Erica kneeled down in front of Callie smiling at her from behind flashing blue sunglasses that framed her sparkling blue eyes.  They were still for a few moments staring into each other’s eyes feeling the heartbeats of each other in their mind.  “Do it.”  Willie whispered loudly, when he could no longer stand the waiting.  So, Erica took off the flashing glasses handing them to Willie as she flashed him a conspiratorial smile.  “Oooooh.”  Willie couldn’t help himself from letting out another excited non-word as he wriggled in anticipation.  
  
Erica reached into the back pocket of her jeans and looked up shyly at Callie.  “Now that you’re back in my head…”  Erica held up the ring that Callie had drooled over one time when they were online and happened to click on the Tiffany Website.  “Will you memorize the floorplan of my head and heart?  And will you do that forever with me?  I promise to remember you as sweet and unexplainable.”  
  
Callie opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and finally Willie shrieked, “Say YESSS!!!!”  
  
That would snap anyone to attention and Callie immediately said yes and after a suffocating kiss, she let Erica put the ring on her finger.  Callie was simply stunned by Erica’s attention to her for remembering the ring and for making such a formal proposal even though they had already pledged their hearts to one another.  Then she looked at Willie and tears formed in her eyes as he took her hand and looked lovingly at the ring there.  “It’s as pretty as mom’s.”  He whispered.  Callie hugged the both of them and let the tears flow down her cheeks.  
  
Erica, after lingering for a while, felt that she would need orthopedic surgery, if she did not get off her knees and she broke the moment to stand and stretch herself out.  “Thank you so much, Erica.  I love you more than I can say.”  Callie stood and wrapped her arms around Erica claiming her in a kiss.  Willie groaned from his spot on the couch, which caused both of them to smile against each other’s lips because he really was that cute.  


Willie finally stood on the couch and tapped Callie’s shoulder until she turned to him.  She was almost annoyed until she saw a fresh look of excitement in his eyes and saw him motioning at her so that he could whisper in her ear.  “You have to give her this one.”  He whispered loudly in Callie’s ear as he fumbled in his pocket for a moment.  Then his little fist emerged and he let the other ring fall into Callie’s palm.  
  
Callie gasped when she saw the very simple platinum wedding band in her hand.  She clasped her fist around it and held it to her chest a moment as fresh tears welled up in her eyes.  She kissed Willie giving him a hard-one-armed hug that nearly knocked him off the couch.  Then she turned locking her eyes with Erica until she had to lower her gaze to take Erica’s hand to slip the ring on her finger.  “Forever.”  She whispered as it slid into place.  
  
**~END~**  
  
***  
  
**Author’s Notes:**  
  
*the bed time story Callie requests?  [LINK  
](http://thecon12.livejournal.com/15281.html#cutid1)*Tegan’s blue glasses on floorplan…  [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-xuCcmAj](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-xuCcmAjK8)[K8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-xuCcmAjK8)  
*ring please… Tiffany Lucida Diamond (when the hell did I become such a girl?)  
  
Callie’s song is “Back in your Head” the #6 song on the album “The Con” by Tegan  & Sara  
The version with the xylophone is here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFG4iGOLl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFG4iGOLldk)[dk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFG4iGOLldk)  
Erica’s song is “The Floorplan” the #12 song on the same album  
  
I hope that you liked this story.  It was fun to write.  The James & The Giant Peach quote was the first scene originally, but it sure didn’t end up that way. 


End file.
